Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran

[aboveandbeyond]

Why should they? Why don’t you go and fight against Israeli forces rather than asking?

You didn't get my point. I said why are Hindutwa brigade willing to fight against Palastanians?

 

[JaDed]

That's all fine having trade issues. What we don't understand is why are Hindutwa brigade willing to join up with israeli forces and kill palastanians?

Pakistanis joined Lankan Sinhalese and killed Tamil Hindus.. what do you think is the reason, Pakistan was directly involved there.

 

[sweep_shot]

Pakistanis joined Lankan Sinhalese and killed Tamil Hindus.. what do you think is the reason, Pakistan was directly involved there.

Why always whatabouism?

Thread is not about SL civil war.

 

[JaDed]

Why always whatabouism?

Thread is not about SL civil war.

The whole thread has gone on the tangent because you want to know why Indians have a say here.

That’s not even the thread title, so spare me the lecture about whataboutisn.

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Pakistanis joined Lankan Sinhalese and killed Tamil Hindus.. what do you think is the reason, Pakistan was directly involved there.

I don't approve it. Do you approve hindutwa fighting against Palastanians?

Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand expresses desire to settle in Israel to fight Palestine ( India Tomorrow ) - Hindutva Watch

NEW DELHI—As Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people, including children and women as the attack enters its fourth day, an ultra-right-wing leader from India is said to be preparing to join the Israeli military to take part in the killing spree...

www.hindutvawatch.org

 

[JaDed]

I don't approve it. Do you approve hindutwa fighting against Palastanians?

Hindu priest Yati Narsinghanand expresses desire to settle in Israel to fight Palestine ( India Tomorrow ) - Hindutva Watch

NEW DELHI—As Israel continues its bombardment of Gaza, resulting in the deaths of thousands of people, including children and women as the attack enters its fourth day, an ultra-right-wing leader from India is said to be preparing to join the Israeli military to take part in the killing spree...

www.hindutvawatch.org

Nope I don’t.. If anything Israel is the evil here and world has turned a blind eye to their war mongering.

India has recognised Palestine that’s more than UK Canada have done

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Nope I don’t.. If anything Israel is the evil here and world has turned a blind eye to their war mongering.

India has recognised Palestine that’s more than UK Canada have done

This now is seriously derailing the thread.


Ok. On one hand India recognises the palastanians state, yet on the other hand hindutwa want to fight against them?

 

[SportsWarrior]

It makes me laugh when these Indians try to butt in in Palestine-Israel discussions. They don't have any stake and their historic knowledge tends to be limited/inaccurate.

For example, one Indian poster wrote that Israeli settlers were grabbing Palestinian lands legally. I couldn't believe my eyes.

Israel is a huge trading and military partner for India. Both supplies arms to each other. India has a Palestine embassy in India and has traditionally enjoyed excellent relationship with Palestine leadership before Hamas took over. obviously, they will talk about Palestine and Israel discussions.

 

[Kroll]

Persians are not known for bravery either. They were put in place by Pakistan last month. Imagine how bad the situation must be if you can’t stand straight in front of Pakistan.

India will know this too well but at least they got some chai to soothe the pain.

 

[JaDed]

This now is seriously derailing the thread.


Ok. On one hand India recognises the palastanians state, yet on the other hand hindutwa want to fight against them?

Because India the state is smarter than average Hindutvadis talking nonsense.

Hindutvadis support Russians too, majority Pakistani British supporters support Russia as well.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

This now is seriously derailing the thread.


Ok. On one hand India recognises the palastanians state, yet on the other hand hindutwa want to fight against them?

Plenty of Pakistanis openly support ISIS and Al Qaeda too. Do you mean that should be taken as Pakistan state policy too?
What's the point of equating Hindutva with India?

 

[FearlessRoar]

Hamas’ Haniyeh killed by explosive device hidden in Tehran guesthouse: Report​

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated on Wednesday by an explosive device smuggled into a guesthouse in Tehran, The New York Times reported on Thursday, citing Middle Eastern and US officials.

The bomb, hidden in the guesthouse approximately two months prior, was remotely detonated once Haniyeh was confirmed to be inside his room, the report said.

The guesthouse, located in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran and part of a compound known as Neshat, is run and protected by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC), according to the report.

Haniyeh had stayed at the guesthouse several times during his visits to Tehran, it added.

US officials believe that Israel was behind the assassination, and Israeli intelligence officials briefed the US and other Western governments shortly after the incident, the report said.

While Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of orchestrating the killing, Israel has not claimed responsibility.

The New York Times cited three Iranian officials as describing the attack as a “catastrophic failure” of Iran’s intelligence and security and a “tremendous embarrassment” for the IRGC, which uses the compound for retreats, secret meetings, and hosting prominent guests like Haniyeh.

Haniyeh had been in Iran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

The IRGC said Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed after their residence in Tehran was hit.

The New York Times, citing Iranian officials, reported that Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct strike against Israel.

Khamenei vowed retaliation on Wednesday, saying that avenging Haniyeh’s death was Iran’s duty, given that it occurred on Iranian soil.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/08/01/hamas-chief-haniyeh-was-assassinated-in-tehran-by-explosive-device-report

 

[RexRex]

You wrote this on October 25, 2023 (reference: https://ppforum.pakpassion.net/thre...e-against-zionism.301206/page-3#post-11936507):



Your post was factually incorrect.

Thanks for confirming that you did indeed lie.

You accused me of declaring that Netanyahu was grabbing settlements legally. I said no such thing. The old post you quoted of mine was describing the events pre-1948 and I made that very clear lol.

PS: I am impressed you recalled that post from a year ago, great memory.

 

[big_gamer007]

You didn't get my point. I said why are Hindutwa brigade willing to fight against Palastanians?

Which poster said here that they are willing to go and join the war?

Just like you who offer lip service to the cause of Palestinians you will find some posters or people from India who will offer lip service to the cause of Israel.

Offering lip service doesn’t mean either of you are gonna go and fight their battles.

 

[sweep_shot]

Thanks for confirming that you did indeed lie.

You accused me of declaring that Netanyahu was grabbing settlements legally. I said no such thing. The old post you quoted of mine was describing the events pre-1948 and I made that very clear lol.

PS: I am impressed you recalled that post from a year ago, great memory.

I didn't lie. That post was written by you. Not me.

You wrote:

1) "Modern day Israeilis are mix of native Sephardic Jews and European Jews who were immigrating since 1870s. ..they didn't conquer or steal the lands (like an invading army)"

2) "Due to religious bigotry and antisemitism in the 1930s, the British/UN partitioned the area into two states just like the British partitioned the subcontinent into two states."

3)
"Muslims didn't want to live under one state Hindu rule -> so they got Pakistan
Jews didn't want to live under one state Muslim rule ->so they got Israel."

These are all factually incorrect. Please read history.

BTW, most of the Israeli Jews are European Jews. Ashkenazi Jews. They are not natives to Palestinian land.

 

[big_gamer007]

I didn't lie. That post was written by you. Not me.

You wrote:



These are all factually incorrect. Please read history.

BTW, most of the Israeli Jews are European Jews. Ashkenazi Jews. They are not natives to Palestinian land.

Muslims have a selective cut off date for history when it comes to Israel.

So whatever you believe is history is just a portion of history which you want to believe in because of control of religion over your mind.

 

[RexRex]

These are all factually incorrect. Please read history.

Good, so you admit I wasn't talking about the Netanyahu era and have decided to shift the goalposts & talk about historical events.

 

[FearlessRoar]

Pakistan declares August 2 national day of mourning over Ismail Haniyeh assassination​

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Thursday strongly denounced the killing of Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, calling it a "barbaric act" that flagrantly violated international laws.

Sharif stated that the extraterritorial assassination had sparked widespread condemnation from Pakistan and other nations, including Turkey, Russia, Iran, China, and Malaysia. These countries have expressed strong disapproval of the attack.

Chairing a meeting on the Palestine situation in Islamabad, the prime minister noted that Ismail Haniyeh's children and grandchildren had also been brutally killed.

The meeting included parliamentarians from allied political parties such as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), Balochistan Awami Party (BAP), Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), Istehkam Pakistan Party (IPP), Pakistan Muslim League-Q (PML-Q), Pakistan Muslim League-Zia (PML-Z), and the National Party.

Sharif highlighted that the bloodshed in Palestine has continued for nine months, resulting in the deaths of over 40,000 innocent Palestinians, including thousands of children. He stressed that the violence persists, with numerous Palestinians being killed daily.

"The world is silent over this barbarism," he said, adding that "such terrorism and extremism are highly condemnable."

The prime minister criticised Israel for ignoring verdicts from the International Court of Justice (ICJ) and United Nations resolutions. He accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of attempting to destroy Palestine.

Sharif expressed gratitude to Western countries like Ireland and Spain for their support of the Palestinian cause and the two-state solution.

The attendees collectively expressed their anger and sorrow over the ongoing Israeli aggression against Palestinians. They unanimously condemned the brutality and showed full solidarity with their Palestinian brothers and sisters.

The meeting demanded immediate humanitarian aid access to defenceless Palestinians. It was decided that Pakistan will continue to supply relief materials and provide medical assistance to injured Palestinians, including bringing them to Pakistan for treatment. Palestinian medical students will also be offered admission to Pakistani medical colleges on humanitarian grounds.

As a gesture of solidarity and condemnation of Israeli actions, the meeting declared August 2 as a national day of mourning in Pakistan. Participants also decided to hold a funeral prayer in absentia for Ismail Haniyeh after Friday prayers across the country and to present a special resolution in Parliament expressing complete solidarity with Palestine.

"Israel is violating UN resolutions, International Court of Justice rulings, and international laws through its ongoing genocide and state brutality in Palestine, while the international community remains a silent spectator," said the participants.

The meeting urged the international community to abandon its neutral stance and take a clear position to stop these atrocities. They warned that failure to do so would undermine the relevance of international laws and institutions for future generations.

The participants called on the global community, including the United Nations, to break their silence, stop the ongoing genocide of Palestinians by Zionist forces, and bring Israel to justice for its war crimes and oppression.

Pakistan declares August 2 national day of mourning over Ismail Haniyeh assassination | The Express Tribune

Funeral prayers in absentia after Friday prayers; special resolution in parliament to express solidarity with Palestine

tribune.com.pk

 

[FearlessRoar]

Warning:

Please refrain from making personal remarks

 

[SportsWarrior]

Too much & movie .

Also Pro israeli have massacred more in a few hours .

Today Israeli soldiers were freed after a debate suggesting it was ok for them to gang rape a prisoner. They probably agree to this too .

lol sitting in UK and coming up with fantasies. Your country and your taxes are one of the major contributors to Israel. May be if you had any spine, ideology you will be back in a Muslim country and fighting for your cause. Instead of that you are not contributing to this mess and happily fighting on internet.

 

[SportsWarrior]

Building where Ismail Haniyeh was killed. Looks like he was killed by bombs which were smuggled into iran months back.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/...e_code=1._k0.oy-V.7Fv6ruxT4DTE&smid=url-share

Iran looks more and more incompetent. here is the quote

The bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, according to five of the Middle Eastern officials. The guesthouse is run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran.

They freaking had the bombs in this building, which is protected by Islamic Revolutionary Guards, for two months. Israel has deep onsite assists inside Iran. They basically plotted bombs inside a room highly guarded by Iran and simply waited for Haniyeh to show up. Lol

 

[The Bald Eagle]

View attachment 145505
Building where Ismail Haniyeh was killed. Looks like he was killed by bombs which were smuggled into iran months back.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/...e_code=1._k0.oy-V.7Fv6ruxT4DTE&smid=url-share

Iran looks more and more incompetent. here is the quote


They freaking had the bombs in this building, which is protected by Islamic Revolutionary Guards, for two months. Israel has deep onsite assists inside Iran. They basically plotted bombs inside a room highly guarded by Iran and simply waited for Haniyeh to show up. Lol

A case of criminal negligence

 

[SportsWarrior]

A case of criminal negligence

Iran regime is not very popular inside Iran. There are lots and lots of people who want to overthrow this government. I have never met an Iranian who likes the current government, and I have met a lot of them as our adjacent neighborhood few years back where I lived was full of Iranians. So it is pretty much possible that Israel had inside information and contacts all along. But even with that support, smuggling that number of bombs, writing it up in a secure location, waiting for the high value target to show up and then detonating it, all are incredible feats. A random incursion inside their airspace with a F35, drone or a supersonic missile is somehow understandable, but this is old school assassination. Iran is already paranoid about their security and this kind of incursion inside their capital will send chill waves inside top leadership

 

[Bhaijaan]

View attachment 145505
Building where Ismail Haniyeh was killed. Looks like he was killed by bombs which were smuggled into iran months back.

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/01/...e_code=1._k0.oy-V.7Fv6ruxT4DTE&smid=url-share

Iran looks more and more incompetent. here is the quote


They freaking had the bombs in this building, which is protected by Islamic Revolutionary Guards, for two months. Israel has deep onsite assists inside Iran. They basically plotted bombs inside a room highly guarded by Iran and simply waited for Haniyeh to show up. Lol

Can’t happen unless one of them Iranians sold his deen for some dollars.

Its never been about Palestinians but about money and an excuse to fool
and control the masses in these poor Muslim nations.

 

[aboveandbeyond]

Plenty of Pakistanis openly support ISIS and Al Qaeda too. Do you mean that should be taken as Pakistan state policy too?
What's the point of equating Hindutva with India?

Al qaeda and isis. Not once they've threatened the israelis

Then again, why would they attack their creator, Mosad.

 

[HalBass9]

Plenty of Pakistanis openly support ISIS and Al Qaeda too. Do you mean that should be taken as Pakistan state policy too?
What's the point of equating Hindutva with India?

The elected ruler of India is the product and follower of Hindutva.

I am yet to meet a Pakistani who support ISIS.

 

[Lonewarrior]

so no one wants to ask why shahbaz sharif cancelled his visit of iran a day before hamas leader gt assassinated ?
okay .

 

[SportsWarrior]

Can’t happen unless one of them Iranians sold his deen for some dollars.

Its never been about Palestinians but about money and an excuse to fool
and control the masses in these poor Muslim nations.

yes, they will sell for dollars and also many are fed up with their oppressive regime. Many independent polls suggest upwards of 70% of their population are against the current regime. We saw protests couple of years back. It is not easy for Iran

 

[HalBass9]

so no one wants to ask why shahbaz sharif cancelled his visit of iran a day before hamas leader gt assassinated ?
okay .

Why would any country want to assassinate a PM who has assassinated Pakistan over the years?

 

[KingKhanWC]

lol sitting in UK and coming up with fantasies. Your country and your taxes are one of the major contributors to Israel. May be if you had any spine, ideology you will be back in a Muslim country and fighting for your cause. Instead of that you are not contributing to this mess and happily fighting on internet.

It’s fascinating why immigrants from India are so passionate & far right like in the love & defence of Israel . I pay more taxes in aid to feed the poor in India , even though I prefer not too , taxes are not a choice . Governments can change over time . I assume you donate to the idf?

 

[JaDed]

so no one wants to ask why shahbaz sharif cancelled his visit of iran a day before hamas leader gt assassinated ?
okay .

It’s very clear that Pakistan by ousting IK has gone back to American camp, India is now trying to resolve its Chinese issue as well.

Donald Lu trying to get 101 million $ for your Establishment from US shows where Pak stands now, no wonder even China has become wary of Pakistan.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Any link for shabaz cancelled visit?

 

[Markhor]

Iran is such a dud, keeps “vowing” revenge. I expect Iran to shoot out their own plane rather save any person of importance.
In last 4 years Iran has been exposed badly.

The Iranian security arrangements merit serious scrutiny.

However it's impressive how Iran remains intact as a sovereign nation pursuing its independent policies despite the various forces ranged against them for decades including:

- The world's biggest superpower
- The region's most powerful military nation
- The most resource rich countries on the planet.

They've suffered sanctions, political isolation and assassination campaigns yet there's no real prospect of the regime collapsing despite the designs of its enemies.

I'm adamantly opposed to theocratic states so this isn't an endorsement of clerical rule. However even the Saudis realised last year they failed to "cut the head off the snake" and needed to reconcile with Iran.

 

[guard]

Like I said, keep watching the destruction and devastation on poor innocent people.

Those same words should also have been uttered in 1914 and 1930

 

[SportsWarrior]

It’s fascinating why immigrants from India are so passionate & far right like in the love & defence of Israel . I pay more taxes in aid to feed the poor in India , even tho I prefer not too , taxes are not a choice . Governments can change over time . I assume you donate to the idf?

Lovers of Zionism become crazed with the idea of Israel being defeated in warfare . The Zionist outpost is temporary, its size & location is not sustainable . I’m sorry

Lol look at the excuses. I am not the one going around talking abut idealogies or morality. If you are so concerned about Palestinians remember that you yourself is a big reason for thier murder, death and destruction. Name calling others doesn't fix it. Whatever UK does pay in aid is pay back for all the billions they looted. It will take another millinia for them to pay back debt to India. But whatever they are paying to Israel is to undermine your idealogy and you are directly funding that. Good luck.

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

I am genuinely curious about Israeli statements here:
They claimed their role with regards to Hezbollah commander death in Beirut.
They claimed they killed Mohmmad Deif
Why is there silence on admitting their role in Ismail Haniyeh's death??
Doesn't it appear a little weird?

 

[Cricket Warrior]

I am genuinely curious about Israeli statements here:
They claimed their role with regards to Hezbollah commander death in Beirut.
They claimed they killed Mohmmad Deif
Why is there silence on admitting their role in Ismail Haniyeh's death??
Doesn't it appear a little weird?

I think they have already claimed the death of Haniyeh

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

It’s fascinating why immigrants from India are so passionate & far right like in the love & defence of Israel . I pay more taxes in aid to feed the poor in India , even though I prefer not too , taxes are not a choice . Governments can change over time . I assume you donate to the idf?

What narrative are you parading? UK tax payer money is not coming to India.
Your taxes do help IDF, thats for sure

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

I think they have already claimed the death of Haniyeh

Nopes, just silence nor confirmation nor denial.
This varies from other assassinations.

 

[JaDed]

I think they have already claimed the death of Haniyeh

Not seeing any official confirmation, NY times is saying a bomb was planted a month ago, how stupid are Iranians? @Markhor this is what I’m talking about.

 

[mazkhan]

Palestinians have been let down by these iranians big time .

They've led them into a massive catastrophe whilst themselves reluctant to get involved , same goes for hezbollah have been getting attacked left right and centre but won't open up the northern front and stretch the Israelis.

The only ones who have shown some fight and proper solidarity are the houthis yemenis .

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Yemen’s Houthi leader warns of severe consequences for Israel over Hamas chief’s assassination

The leader of Yemen's Houthi group said Wednesday that Israel’s assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh “has elevated the battle to a wider scope,” the consequences of which will be severe for Tel Aviv.

In a statement published by the group’s Al-Masirah TV channel, Sayyed Abdul Malik al-Houthi said "the criminal enemy's involvement in targeting the martyr (Haniyeh) has elevated the battle to a wider scope and greater dimensions, the consequences of which will be dire for the enemy, God willing.”

"We will spare no effort, with God's permission and in cooperation with our brothers in the Resistance Axis in avenging the martyr and all the martyrs and the injustice suffered by the Palestinian people."

On July 20, Israel launched airstrikes on fuel tanks and a power station at the port of Al Hudaydah in western Yemen in response to the killing of an Israeli in a Houthi drone attack on Tel Aviv on July 19.

“The crime of targeting Haniyeh will serve as a greater motivation to punish the criminal enemy,” al-Houthi added.

On Wednesday morning, the Palestinian resistance group Hamas announced Haniyeh's assassination in a “treacherous Zionist airstrike” on his residence in the Iranian capital, Tehran, after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Tuesday.

Yemen’s Houthi leader warns of severe consequences for Israel over Hamas chief’s assassination

Sayyed Abdul Malik al-Houthi says assassination of Ismail Haniyeh ‘has elevated the battle to a wider scope and greater dimensions’ - Anadolu Ajansı

www.aa.com.tr

 

[JattMaula]

I had hope that a realistic two State solution was emerging in past few years but that's now quite unlikely considering events of past year.

Arabs and Israelies were colluding openly. Economic mixing could have created a leverage against further Israeli occupation. There was still a chance of cohabitation.

But, Peace and long-term prosperity of Palestine was against interest of some people.

People of Palestine are paying the price of greed, hubris, short-sightedness, intolerance and overall stupidity of all parties involved.

Gaza was already a hellhole without a future. And somehow, it got worse.

 

[globetrotter]

Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran, but mystery surrounds his death. Iran says he killed in Israel missile strike whereas Israel denied the same and says the missile fired from within Iranian borders.

In my opinion it’s an insider job. After 7th October attack on innocent Israelis by Hamas, Israel wage war on Israel. As usual Muslim nations orally supported Palestine, but no one dare to join the war against Israel. Iran being a Shia country was in watching developments, but they were sure about no Muslim country have guts to join the war and ghosts of 6 days Arab-Israel war is still exist in their minds. When israel strikes killed Iranian revolutionary guards in Damascus, Iran sees an opportunity to lead Muslim world in fight against Israel. Iran fired missiles on Israel. Thereafter Iran clearly emerged as a leader in war against Israel. This fact is not liked by many Muslim nations and hardcore groups as these nations still not forgotten Iran-Iraq war I.e. Shia- Sunni conflict. These Muslim nations not like this fact of Shia nation is leading the fight against Israel.

This is why Turkish president’s statement is very significant. Erdogan threatened to invade Israel as turkey not like leadership of Iran in this war. Muslim nations are divided in taking control of leadership in Israel-Palestine conflict. After Irans attack on Israel, Hamas is getting closer to Iranian leadership, this fact is not digested by Muslim nations and hardcore groups.

IMO Hamas leader’s killing is a job of any Muslim nation or hardcore group

 

[BouncerGuy]

Hezbollah leader says conflict with Israel in 'new phase' after killings

In Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiya, the stronghold of Hezbollah, large crowds wearing black joined the funeral for Fuad Shukr, a senior commander of the powerful Lebanese militia and political movement, and the most high-profile member to have been assassinated by Israel during these current hostilities.

They carried placards with Shukr’s face, waved the yellow-and-green Hezbollah flag and chanted some of the group’s slogans, sometimes with their fists in the air.

According to the Israeli military, Shukr was behind a missile strike that killed 12 children and teenagers on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights last Saturday. Hezbollah has denied involvement, although it initially claimed an attack on a nearby military base, which raised the possibility that the missile missed its intended targeted.

Shukr, who was also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, was said to be a close adviser to Hassan Nasrallah, the influential and long-time Hezbollah leader.

As people were gathered, Nasrallah gave a televised speech that was watched closely for any indication of Hezbollah’s possible next moves.

The conflict with Israel had entered a “new phase", he said, speaking from a secret location, as he always does for security reasons. The enemy must wait for the “inevitable response” because it had crossed “red lines”, he added, saying that the reaction would be proportionate to Israel’s targeting of a civilian building.

His tone seemed to indicate that the group remained uninterested in another major war with Israel. But there are concerns that they could be sliding into one.

“I’m not afraid of war. We’re ready for whatever Sheikh Nasrallah decides to do,” one man in the crowd told me. “Inshallah,” said another, meaning God willing, when asked if he believed that Hezbollah would retaliate for the killing.

Shukr's killing on Tuesday - an attack that killed six other people, including two young siblings - renewed fears that the relatively contained conflict between Hezbollah and Israel could escalate into an all-out war, with the potential to engulf the entire Middle East.

Hezbollah says its campaign, which started a day after the Hamas attacks on Israel on 7 October, is in support of Palestinians in Gaza. Most of the group’s attacks, and Israel’s counterattacks, have been limited to areas along the Lebanon-Israel border.

Supported by Iran, Hezbollah has long been seen by Israel as a much more formidable foe than Hamas. The group has an increasingly sophisticated arsenal of weapons that includes attack drones and precision guided missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel.

A conflict with Hezbollah would probably involve other Iranian-supported groups in the region, members of what Tehran calls the “Axis of Resistance” - the Houthis in Yemen or militias in Iraq, for example.

Iran, too, has vowed to respond to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas political chief who was killed on Wednesday while visiting Tehran for the inauguration of the new Iranian president.

Iran and Hamas have blamed Israel, which has stayed silent. The killing has dealt a blow to the possibility of any success in ongoing talks for a ceasefire and hostage release deal between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It is the main hope to defuse tensions with Hezbollah, and diplomatic efforts continue to try to de-escalate the situation.

The Israeli military has said it is ready for any scenario, as the country braces itself for a possible response to the two assassinations.

Nasrallah’s speech contained, as expected, sharp words against Israel but did not appear to suggest that a bigger war was imminent just yet.

BBC

 

[Markhor]

Not seeing any official confirmation, NY times is saying a bomb was planted a month ago, how stupid are Iranians? @Markhor this is what I’m talking about.

Yep it's a pretty bad lapse

 

[BouncerGuy]

Pakistan condemns ‘Israeli adventurism’ in Iran, Lebanon

As tensions in the Middle East reached a boiling point following a couple of high-profile assassinations attributed to Israel, the Foreign Office on Thursday condemned Israeli “adventurism” and demanded accountability for the killing of Ismail Haniyeh.

“Israel’s latest actions in the region represent a dangerous expansion of hostilities that undermines efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace in the Middle East. Israel must be held accountable for its transgressions and actions,” Foreign Office spokesperson Mumtaz Zahra Baloch said at the weekly media briefing.

The spokesperson called on the United States and other Western supporters of Israel to exert pressure on the Zionist state to cease its illegal military activities, which contravene the sovereignty and territorial integrity of regional states, and to respect international law.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, separately tweeted, “Pakistan will observe a National Day of Mourning tomorrow and hold a funeral prayer in absentia for the Chief of Political bureau of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh. The Parliament of Pakistan will also debate the ongoing genocide in Gaza”.

Without naming Hezbollah, the Foreign Office also denounced Israeli strike in Beirut that killed Shukr.

“Israel’s military aggression in Beirut is a grievous infringement on Lebanon’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. This attack on civilian areas is a blatant violation of international law and the United Nations Charter,” Ms Baloch said.

Expressing solidarity with the Lebanese people, the FO spokesperson reiterated Pakistan government’s support for their right to peace, security, and sovereignty.

She condemned the targeting of individuals within sovereign states as a breach of international law and global norms, warning that such actions could escalate tensions further.

Iran’s concern about Parachinar

The spokesperson rejected Iranian government’s concern about the violence in Pakistan’s Kurram district in which Parachinar’s Shia community was targeted.

“Such statements about Pakistan’s domestic affairs are unwarranted. We believe that these statements are based on an incomplete picture of the situation in Parachinar,” the spokesperson said.

In a statement on Wednesday, Iran’s Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Nasser Kanaani had condemned attacks targeting Shia Muslims in Parachinar area of the Kurram district.

He emphasised the urgency of taking decisive action against militant groups to safeguard the lives of the residents of Parachinar.

“As a multi-cultural and multi-faith society, Pakistan is fully determined to foster social harmony, tolerance and mutual respect,” Ms Baloch said.

At least 49 people were killed and several hundred injured in clashes that erupted last week in Parachinar.

The Parachinar area of Kurram district has a history of deadly conflicts among sectarian groups. The latest violence started over a property dispute, quickly escalating into a sectarian conflict that spread to nearby villages and settlements.

A ceasefire was agreed upon by warring tribes on Sunday.

DAWN

 

[BouncerGuy]

Killing of Hamas leader 'doesn't help' ceasefire talks, says Biden

US President Joe Biden has said that the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh “doesn’t help” talks over a potential ceasefire in Gaza.

Haniyeh was killed during a visit to Iran’s capital, Tehran, on Wednesday. Iran and its allies have blamed Israel, although Israel is yet to comment on his death.

Haniyeh was Hamas’s most senior official and was highly involved in ceasefire and hostage release talks from his base in Qatar.

Mr Biden said he was “very concerned” about rising tensions in the Middle East. "We have the basis for a ceasefire. He [Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu] should move on it and they [Hamas] should move on it now."

Israel and Hamas recently resumed tentative, indirect talks to try to reach a ceasefire in the war in Gaza, though there have been conflicting accounts of progress.

At the end of May, Mr Biden outlined what he said were the terms of an Israeli ceasefire proposal. This has become the basis for on-off indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel since then, with Qatar, Egypt and the US acting as mediators.

Earlier this week, Israel and Hamas accused each other of obstructing progress. Hamas said Israel had introduced new conditions, while Mr Netanyahu's office said Hamas had demanded 29 changes to the proposal.

The war began in October when Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others back to Gaza as hostages. The attack triggered a massive Israeli military response, which has killed at least 39,480 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Mr Biden's comments were his first on Haniyeh's assassination since the Hamas chief was killed.

The US president spoke to journalists at Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, ahead of welcoming home American citizens as part of a prisoner exchange with Russia.

He said he had spoken to Mr Netanyahu earlier on Thursday and had promised to protect Israel "against all threats from Iran", which has vowed to retaliate. Iran is Hamas's most important backer and is an arch-foe of Israel.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, but Mr Netanyahu said after the killing that Israel had delivered “crushing blows” to Iran’s proxy groups in recent days.

Haniyeh’s assassination came at a time of soaring tensions in the Middle East.

On Saturday, 12 children and young people were killed after a strike on a football field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights. Israel blamed Lebanon's Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement and vowed "severe" retaliation, though Hezbollah has denied involvement.

On Tuesday, hours before the killing of Haniyeh, Israel killed senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr, who it said was behind the attack on the Golan Heights, in a targeted air strike in Beirut.

BBC

 

[cricketjoshila]

It makes me laugh when these Indians try to butt in in Palestine-Israel discussions. They don't have any stake and their historic knowledge tends to be limited/inaccurate.

For example, one Indian poster wrote that Israeli settlers were grabbing Palestinian lands legally. I couldn't believe my eyes.

What is your stake?

 

[cricketjoshila]

These Indians seem to think conflict started on October 7, 2023. LOL.

They need to read history and news more.

Conflict started almost 100 years ago (Balfour declaration).

Conflict started when Muslims invaded the land of the Jews. Now Jews are taking it back.

This is war. Fight Flee Surrender or get obliterated.

That's what happens in wars.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Conflict started when Muslims invaded the land of the Jews. Now Jews are taking it back.

This is war. Fight Flee Surrender or get obliterated.

That's what happens in wars.

When did they take it from the Jews ? Is this in RSS history books ?

If might is right why you are still crying over so called muslim invaders taking over & ruling India ?

You seem confused with principles as usual ?

 

[cricketjoshila]

When did they take it from the Jews ? Is this in RSS history books ?

If might is right why you are still crying over so called muslim invaders taking over & ruling India ?

You seem confused with principles as usual ?

We are not crying. Only ones crying are pakistanis when we are retaking our temples. Ayodhya is a start.

You don't know when Muslims invaded Jerusalem?

 

[FearlessRoar]

Mourners gather as Hamas leader Haniyeh is buried in Qatar​

The burial ceremony for Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Iran on Wednesday, is under way in Qatar.

Funeral prayers for Haniyeh will take place at the Imam Muhammed bin Abdul Wahhab mosque - the largest in Qatar - before he is buried at a cemetery in Lusail, a city north of Doha.

Prominent figures in the Hamas movement - including his predecessor as leader, Khaled Meshaal - stood on the tarmac at Doha airport as the plane carrying Haniyeh's coffin landed from Iran on Thursday afternoon.

Haniyeh was killed during a visit to Iran’s capital. Iran and its allies have blamed Israel, though Israel has not claimed responsibility for his death.

Hamas said that "Arab and Islamic leaders" and those involved with other Palestinian factions would attend, as well as members of the public.

Turkey and Pakistan announced a day of mourning on Friday in honour of Haniyeh, while Hamas has called for "roaring anger marches... from every mosque" to take place after Friday prayers to protest Haniyeh's killing.

At a separate funeral ceremony for Haniyeh which took place in Tehran on Thursday, Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed that Israel would suffer a “harsh punishment” for the killing.

Haniyeh had been based in Doha since about 2019. The Hamas political office moved to the Qatari capital in 2012, following the closure of its previous office in Damascus, Syria.

Haniyeh had played a key role in indirect talks with Israel over a potential ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza.

The heads of the CIA, Mossad and the intelligence services of Egypt and Qatar had attended negotiations in Doha

Haniyeh’s burial caps a week of soaring tensions in the Middle East, which escalated with the killing of 12 children and teenagers in a strike on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

Israel accused Hezbollah and vowed “severe” retaliation, though Hezbollah denied it was involved.

Days later, senior Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in a targeted Israeli air strike in Beirut. Four others, including two children, were also killed.

Hours after that, Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran, Hamas's main backer. He was visiting to attend the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

Israel has not claimed responsibility for the assassination, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said afterward that Israel delivered “crushing blows” to Iran’s proxy groups in recent days.

A senior Hamas official told the BBC the killing took place in the same building where Haniyeh had stayed during previous visits to Iran. Three Hamas leaders and a number of guards were with him in the same building, they said.

The circumstances around his death remain unclear.

The killing of Haniyeh left the leadership of Hamas in “a state of shock”, top Hamas officials told the BBC.

Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas official, told a news conference that a missile hit Haniyeh "directly", citing witnesses who were with him.

But a report in the New York Times, which cites seven officials, says Haniyeh was killed by a bomb that had been smuggled two months ago into the building where he was staying.

Mourners gather as Hamas leader Haniyeh is buried in Qatar

Ismail Haniyeh’s burial caps a week of soaring tensions in the Middle East.

www.bbc.com

 

[FearlessRoar]

We are not crying. Only ones crying are pakistanis when we are retaking our temples. Ayodhya is a start.

You don't know when Muslims invaded Jerusalem?

Warning:

Guys stick to the topic of the thread. This is not the place to discuss Ayodhya or RSS

 

[mazkhan]

Conflict started when Muslims invaded the land of the Jews. Now Jews are taking it back.

This is war. Fight Flee Surrender or get obliterated.

That's what happens in wars.

what jews , the land was called palestine and when the arabs attacked it was under the roman byzantine and area inhabited by arab tribes whom were christian who later converted to islam ghassanids

The area was inhabited by hellenic, aramaic , and arab people's and they were not white skinned.

Yazid own mother was a local arab christian woman from banu kalb

Stop distorting history

These modern days jews are ashkenazi they have no connection to the Middle East but are decended from European and khazars from Europe hence white skin , ginger hair , east european food dress etc .

 

[sweep_shot]

When did they take it from the Jews ? Is this in RSS history books ?

If might is right why you are still crying over so called muslim invaders taking over & ruling India ?

You seem confused with principles as usual ?

@cricketjoshila and many Indian posters here don't know the history of that region.

They seem to think Jews were displaced by Muslims 2000 years ago. Truth is that region went through many different rulers.

Anyway, here is a history lesson for those Indian posters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsions_and_exoduses_of_Jews.

 

[KingKhanWC]

We are not crying. Only ones crying are pakistanis when we are retaking our temples. Ayodhya is a start.

You don't know when Muslims invaded Jerusalem?

Muslims never took Jerusalem from Jews , please show me the rss textbooks ?

You claim might is right , it’s a war etc it was also a war when Muslims took over & conquered Hindus but that upsets you to this day ? Be consistent in your statement

 

[KingKhanWC]

@cricketjoshila and many Indian posters here don't know the history of that region.

They seem to think Jews were displaced by Muslims 2000 years ago. Truth is that region went through many different rulers.

Anyway, here is a history lesson for those Indian posters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsions_and_exoduses_of_Jews.

This is basic history

@cricketjoshila and many Indian posters here don't know the history of that region.

They seem to think Jews were displaced by Muslims 2000 years ago. Truth is that region went through many different rulers.

Anyway, here is a history lesson for those Indian posters: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsions_and_exoduses_of_Jews.

Very strange knowledge of history.

Some use this false history to justify assassinations today & glee at the destruction in Gaza .

 

[cricketjoshila]

what jews , the land was called palestine and when the arabs attacked it was under the roman byzantine and area inhabited by arab tribes whom were christian who later converted to islam ghassanids

The area was inhabited by hellenic, aramaic , and arab people's and they were not white skinned.

Yazid own mother was a local arab christian woman from banu kalb

Stop distorting history

These modern days jews are ashkenazi they have no connection to the Middle East but are decended from European and khazars from Europe hence white skin , ginger hair , east european food dress etc .

Byzantines or Romans took Jerusalem in 70ce. They were displaced by Muslim rulers. The worst of them being the mamluks. Ofcourse there were intermittent Christian rule of the crusaders.

A large number of Jews left their land due to persecution and migrated to all over Europe, even north Africa and India.

The worst phase was under Mamluks.

Now the Jews have economic and military strength and they are taking back their ancient land. Now who is occupying the land. Muslims.

If byzantines were occupying the land today, Israel would be in conflict with them.

 

[cricketjoshila]

Anyone connected with Hamas may be a legitimate target of Israel.

Invaded the land of Jews. Not necessarily land ruled by Jews.

It is the ancient land of Jews.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Anyone connected with Hamas may be a legitimate target of Israel.

Invaded the land of Jews. Not necessarily land ruled by Jews.

It is the ancient land of Jews.

Sure any adult Israeli is also legitimate target .

You claim Jews are in the right because it’s their ancient land ? Prove this land belongs to the Jews ?

This will be interesting

 

[cricketjoshila]

Sure any adult Israeli is also legitimate target .

You claim Jews are in the right because it’s their ancient land ? Prove this land belongs to the Jews ? As a Hindu you also believe Jews are the chosen people ?

This will be interesting

Target any Israeli and they hit back and return every thing with interest.

Why should i believe in Jewish religion?

But i do believe that Jews were the ancient inhabitants of the land.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Target any Israeli and they hit back and return every thing with interest.

Why should i believe in Jewish religion?

But i do believe that Jews were the ancient inhabitants of the land.

What is a Jew?

 

[BouncerGuy]

I don't think this thread is a right place to talk about who owns palestine.

Stop with this jews vs muslims debate and stay on topic.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Target any Israeli and they hit back and return every thing with interest.

Why should i believe in Jewish religion?

But i do believe that Jews were the ancient inhabitants of the land.

All Israelis who have been part of the occupation are legitimate targets, no different to all Indian occupying soldiers .

You have no idea what you’re saying but we will discuss this in another thread

 

[FearlessRoar]

PM Shehbaz, others offer funeral prayers in absentia for martyred Hamas chief

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, parliamentarians and hundreds of thousands of people on Friday offered funeral prayers in absentia for martyred Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Islamabad.

The funeral prayer was held across the country as part of the government’s decisions made on Thursday which also included the observance of a day of mourning.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, and leaders of the ruling coalition as well as the opposition parties also attended the funeral prayer.

“An incident of worst brutality has come to the fore, which the entire world, including Pakistan, Turkiye, Malaysia, China and Russia, has condemned in the strongest words,” Sharif said at an earlier press talk on Friday, referring to Haniyeh’s assassination.

Sharif further said that Pakistan would continue to provide relief goods and medical assistance to the Palestinians.

Meanwhile, funeral prayers for martyred Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh were held in Qatar on Friday at Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab mosque.

Haniyeh, the Palestinian group’s political chief, had resided in Doha along with other members of the Hamas political office.

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh will be buried at a cemetery in Lusail, north of the Qatari capital.

Ismail Haniyeh and a bodyguard were killed in the pre-dawn attack on their accommodation in Tehran early Wednesday, Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said.

He had travelled to Iran to attend Tuesday’s swearing-in of President Masoud Pezeshkian. Israel, accused by Hamas, Iran and others of the attack, has not directly commented on it.

The Hamas leader’s martyrdom came just hours after Israel struck a southern suburb of Beirut, killing Fuad Shukr, the military commander of Hamas-allied Lebanese group Hezbollah.

The killings are the latest of several incidents that have inflamed regional tensions during the Gaza war which has drawn in Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.

A public funeral ceremony for Haniyeh was held in Tehran on Thursday with crowds of mourners paying their respects.

Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers for Haniyeh having earlier threatened “harsh punishment” for his killing.

PM Shehbaz, others offer funeral prayers in absentia for martyred Hamas chief

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, parliamentarians and hundreds of thousands of people on Friday offered funeral prayers in absentia for martyred

arynews.tv

 

[FearlessRoar]

NA passes resolution saying Haniyeh’s killing ‘deliberate conspiracy to sabotage’ Gaza ceasefire efforts​

The National Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution condemning the ongoing Israeli brutality in Gaza, with members saying that incidents such as the killing of Hamas’ top leader Ismail Haniyeh were “deliberate conspiracies to sabotage efforts to stop” the ongoing Gaza conflict.

The resolution, a copy of which is available with Dawn.com, was presented before the lower house of the Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, who said the document had been prepared through all parties’ consensus.

Haniyeh’s death was announced by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards, who said he and his bodyguard were killed in a strike on their accommodation in the Iranian capital at 2am on Wednesday.

It came just hours after Israel targeted and killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in a retaliatory strike on the Lebanese capital Beirut, sending fears of a wider regional conflict soaring in the fallout from the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. Israel has declined to comment on the Tehran strike.

“[Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran had] added to the angst and grief, and such incidents are seen as deliberate conspiracies to sabotage efforts to stop the ongoing oppression and brutality against Palestinians and to establish peace in the region”, the resolution stated.

It noted that “atrocities by Israel on Palestinians have escalated, causing immense suffering and loss of over 40,000 innocent lives so far, including women and children”.

While the Gaza health ministry has put the number of deaths in Israel’s military campaign — ongoing for the past 300 days — at 39,480, it is feared that the toll is much higher due to thousands still missing under the rubble.

The NA saw rare unity as the resolution highlighted that all parliamentary parties “expressed their unified grief and anger over the ongoing Israeli oppression and brutality against the people of Palestine for the past nine months”.

Echoing the Foreign Office’s (FO) statement on Haniyeh’s killing, the NA said Pakistan condemned “terrorism in all its forms and manifestations, including extrajudicial and extraterritorial killings irrespective of the motives”.

Extending condolence to Haniyeh’s family, the house decided to observe today as a day of mourning across Pakistan “as a mark of solidarity with our Palestinian brothers and sisters, and to unequivocally condemn Israeli brutality”.

Funeral prayers would also be held for “martyr Ismail Haniyeh across the country after Friday prayers today”, the resolution added.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif termed Haniyeh’s assassination a “huge blow to peace efforts”.

“While strongly condemning the killing of martyr Ismail Haniyeh on behalf of Pakistan’s government and its people, we extend our condolences to the martyr’s family and the Palestinian people.

“Whoever was involved in this incident should be brought before the law,” he said, prompting someone to shout, “Israel, Israel”, pushing the premier to name the country responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination.

“I have spoken about the Zionist state repeatedly in my speech. Once again — the Zionist state has committed these crimes [and] they must be brought before the law,” Shehbaz responded.

Referring to the death of Haniyeh’s three sons in Gaza in April, the prime minister asked: “What can be a bigger crime than this? […] What can be a bigger story of sacrifice than this in the current era?

In his speech before the NA, PM Shehbaz said Palestinians were facing the “worst form of violence, oppression, and brutality in history”.

“Palestine has become a slaughterhouse today,” the premier asserted.

He added that the “Zionist state (Israel) had been committing genocide for the last nine months, leading to the martyrdom of more than 40,000 Palestinians, including thousands of children”.

“Blood splattered everywhere [in Gaza] is shaking humanity’s soul, asking loudly while looking towards the sky, ‘When will justice be served and when will this story of violence and injustice end?’.”

PM Shehbaz noted that it was not just Muslims across the world, but all those believing in justice and human rights and belonging to “every race and religion” who were raising the same question.

Highlighting that even UN buildings, media offices, schools, and hospitals were targeted in Gaza, the premier asserted that Israel had exceeded all bounds of crimes against humanity.

He warned that if justice was not served and Israel was not held accountable, it would further inflame public sentiments and anger.

NA passes resolution saying Haniyeh’s killing ‘deliberate conspiracy to sabotage’ Gaza ceasefire efforts

PM Shehbaz says "Palestine has become a slaughterhouse today", with "blood splattered everywhere shaking humanity’s soul".

www.dawn.com

 

[cricketjoshila]

All Israelis who have been part of the occupation are legitimate targets, no different to all Indian occupying soldiers .

You have no idea what you’re saying but we will discuss this in another thread

Israelis know how to retaliate to the attacks. So anyone targetting them should consider the consequences.

Last time Indian soldiers went on a rampage, they created a new country.

 

[KingKhanWC]

Israelis know how to retaliate to the attacks. So anyone targetting them should consider the consequences.

Last time Indian soldiers went on a rampage, they created a new country.

They will need to continue as 2 billion hate them . Tanking out leaders makes no difference, dozens of leaders are born everyday & many occupiers are killed regularly as we also see in Kashmir .

Occupiers are the lowest scm on earth , the resistance leaders are hero’s .

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Explosions at Israeli embassy in India. I wonder if it's linked to this?

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

Explosions at Israeli embassy in India. I wonder if it's linked to this?

Where is it being reported?

 

[DeadlyVenom]

Where is it being reported?

seems fake tbh some reliable TG channels reported it but don't think it has substance

 

[Aang_The_last_airbender]

seems fake tbh some reliable TG channels reported it but don't think it has substance

Its fake , not a blip on any media anywhere.

 

[DeadlyVenom]

confirmed fake

 

[Cricket Warrior]

Cleric detained over Haniyeh sermon at al-Aqsa Mosque: Lawyer

A senior Muslim cleric was detained on suspicion of inciting “terrorism” on Friday after he mourned slain Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh at Jerusalem’s flashpoint al-Aqsa Mosque, his lawyer told AFP.

Sheikh Ekrima Sabri, 85, the former grand mufti of Jerusalem and current head of its Supreme Islamic Council, called Haniyeh a “martyr” in his sermon at the mosque in Israeli-annexed east Jerusalem, the lawyer said.

Haniyeh was killed in Tehran early on Wednesday in an attack that Iran and the Palestinian group blamed on Israel. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s death.

“(Sabri) is currently in Al-Maskobiya (police compound) under investigation on suspicion of inciting terrorism, because he mourned Ismail Haniyeh during the Friday sermon and described him as a martyr,” his lawyer Hamza Qatina said.

Israeli police, without naming Sabri, said they had “opened an investigation into an imam suspected of making inciting statements and supporting terrorism during a sermon given (on Friday).”

Sabri was charged with inciting terrorism in June for allegedly praising Palestinian gunmen who killed four Israelis, including a soldier, in October 2022.

At the time, he denounced a “fabricated” campaign against him.

A man in his twenties was also arrested for making “inciting statements” during Friday’s prayers, the Israeli police statement added.

The al-Aqsa Mosque compound is Islam’s third holiest site and a Palestinian national symbol.

But it also revered by Jews as the Temple Mount, the site of the ancient temple destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD.

Jews are allowed to visit the mosque compound but are forbidden from praying there, a restriction increasingly flouted by hardline religious nationalists in recent years.

Last month, far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir told a symposium at the Israeli parliament that he had prayed in the mosque compound just the previous week.

https://english.alarabiya.net/News/middle-east/2024/08/02/cleric-detained-over-haniyeh-sermon-at-al-aqsa-mosque-lawyer

 

[Cricket Warrior]

‘People are tense’: In Israel, fear amid likely Hezbollah, Tehran response

Israelis are bracing for a response to the assassinations this week of Hamas’s political chief and a commander with the Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, Israel-based analysts tell Al Jazeera.

Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr and Ismail Haniyeh of Hamas, who was a key figure in the Gaza ceasefire negotiations, were killed within hours of each other in Beirut and Tehran respectively. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh’s killing but claimed Shukr’s. Israeli military planners said Shukr was behind a recent attack on the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children although Hezbollah has denied responsibility.

Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has promised “harsh punishment” for Israel in retaliation for the killing of Haniyeh in the Iranian capital. Iran’s leaders have promised “harsh revenge“. As thousands in Tehran poured onto the streets to mourn the Hamas leader, top Iranian newspapers covered the event through themes of revenge, bereavement and defiance.

Hezbollah’s leader Hassan Nasrallah, meanwhile, said a response is “inevitable“.

Anticipating such a response, Israel’s military said it was on “high alert”, according to Israeli media. They reported Israel was looking to finalise an international coalition to help deflect an attack.

In April after Israel struck the Iranian consulate in Damascus, Israel said with the help of the United States, the United Kingdom and France, it intercepted missiles and drones launched by Iran in an unprecedented attack.

‘People are tense’: In Israel, fear amid likely Hezbollah, Tehran response

As people brace for an attack, there is anxiety but also resignation, Israel-based experts say.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[Cricket Warrior]

US officials say anticipated Iranian retaliation could occur in the coming days

The US decision to send warships and fighter squadron to the Middle East will mark perhaps the largest movement of US forces to the region since the early days of the Gaza war, when the Pentagon sent two carrier strike groups toward the Middle East in a very public warning to regional militant groups not to expand the fighting.

The region is bracing for an Iranian retaliation after the country’s supreme leader vowed to attack Israel for the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week. Israel has not commented on the killing.

US officials said the anticipated Iranian attack could occur in the coming days, and the US is closely watching the region for any indications of how it might play out. Officials said the attack may be similar to the barrage of ballistic missiles and drones Iran launched against Israel in April, but it could also be larger and more complex, coordinated with Iranian proxies in the region.

Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah hinted that a coordinated attack on Israel could be in the works after Israel assassinated one of the Iran-backed group’s top commanders in Beirut less than 24 hours before the killing of Haniyeh.


CNN

 

[Bhaijaan]

So Saudis and Emiratis refrained from condemning this. Did the right thing, the world would have judged them bad had they shown sympathy to leader of a terrorist Islamic organization which initiated all this war in the first place.

 

[BouncerGuy]

So Saudis and Emiratis refrained from condemning this. Did the right thing, the world would have judged them bad had they shown sympathy to leader of a terrorist Islamic organization which initiated all this war in the first place.

Saudis will never support Iran not because Iran is an extremist state but because Saudis generally do not like Iran because of their personal religious conflict.

IF IRAN is a terrorist state then Israel and USA are their leaders.

 

[BouncerGuy]

Iran Arrests Dozens in Search for Suspects in Killing of Hamas Leader

Iran has arrested more than two dozen people, including senior intelligence officers, military officials and staff workers at a military-run guesthouse in Tehran, in response to a huge and humiliating security breach that enabled the assassination of a top leader of Hamas, according to two Iranians familiar with the investigation.

The high-level arrests came after the killing in an explosion early Wednesday of Ismail Haniyeh, who had led Hamas’s political office in Qatar and was visiting Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president and staying at the guesthouse in northern Tehran, Iran’s capital.

The fervor of the response to the killing of Mr. Haniyeh underscores what a devastating security failure this was for Iran’s leadership, with the assassination occurring at a heavily guarded compound in the country’s capital within hours of the swearing-in ceremony of the country’s new president.

“The perception that Iran can neither protect its homeland nor its key allies could be fatal for the Iranian regime, because it basically signals to its foes that if they can’t topple the Islamic Republic, they can decapitate it,” said Ali Vaez, the Iran director for the International Crisis Group.

Image

Officials in both the Middle East and in Iran itself have said the deadly blast was the result of a bomb that had been planted in Mr. Haniyeh’s room as long as two months before his arrival.

Iranian officials and Hamas said Wednesday that Israel was responsible for the assassination, an assessment also reached by several U.S. officials. Israel, which has vowed to destroy Hamas’s governing and military capabilities, has not acknowledged that it was responsible for planting the bomb.

The Revolutionary Guards Corps’ specialized intelligence unit for espionage has taken over the investigation and is hunting down suspects that it hopes will lead it to members of the assassin team that planned, aided and carried out the killing, according to the two Iranian officials, who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the investigations.

The news of the sweeping arrests came after the Revolutionary Guards announced in a statement that “the scope and details of this incident are under investigation and will be announced in due course.”

The Guards Corps has not yet made public any details of the arrests nor of its investigation into the explosion, including its cause. But it has vowed a severe revenge, as has Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who issued an order to strike Israel in retaliation, according to the three Iranian officials.

The intensity and scope of the Guards’ investigation reveal the degree to which the assassination has shocked and rattled the country’s leadership.

The deadly blast, which also killed Mr. Haniyeh’s Palestinian bodyguard, wasn’t only an earth-shattering collapse of intelligence and security; nor only a failure to protect a key ally; nor evidence of the inability to curb the infiltration of Mossad; nor a humiliating reputational blow. It was all of those, and more.

Perhaps most important, it delivered a jarring realization that if Israel could target such an important guest, on a day when the capital was under heightened security, and carry out the attack at a highly secure compound equipped with bulletproof windows, air defense and radar, then no one was really safe.

“This security breach requires different policies and strategies; it may be arresting spies if there was infiltration, or retaliation if the operation was conducted from outside the borders, or a combination of both,” Sasan Karimi, a political analyst in Tehran, said in a telephone interview.

Mr. Haniyeh’s proximity to Iran’s supreme leader — with the two men meeting at Mr. Khamenei’s residence just hours before the assassination — has also raised concerns.

At Mr. Haniyeh’s funeral in Tehran on Friday, Mr. Khamenei was surrounded by a tighter circle of bodyguards than usual when he performed an Islamic prayer ritual on the body. He then left immediately, only pausing briefly to greet Mr. Haniyeh’s son.

Image

Iran and Israel have been engaged in a covert war for years. Israel has assassinated more than a dozen nuclear scientists and military commanders inside Iran, including the country’s top nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, with an A.I.-assisted, remote-controlled killer robot in 2020. Israel has also sabotaged infrastructure, blowing up gas pipes in February, as well as conducting attacks on military and nuclear sites.

Iran has reeled after each attack and pledged to find the culprits. It has fired a top intelligence chief, arrested a military commander and announced multiple times that it has discovered an Israeli spy network.

Just four days before Mr. Haniyeh’s assassination, the country’ minister of intelligence, Seyed Esmaeil Khatib, said to local media that Iran had “disintegrated and destroyed a network of Mossad infiltrators who were every day assassinating some of our scientists and sabotaging our key facilities.”

Then came the shock of Mr. Haniyeh’s assassination.

After the attack, Iranian security agents raided the guesthouse compound, which belongs to the Revolutionary Guards Corps and which is where Mr. Haniyeh frequently stayed — in the same room — on his visits to Tehran. The agents placed all the guesthouse’s staff members under quarantine, arrested some, and confiscated all electronic devices, including personal phones, according to the two Iranians.

A separate team of agents interrogated senior military and intelligence officials with roles in safeguarding the capital. It placed a number of them under arrest until investigations are completed, according to the two Iranians.

When the security agents raided the guesthouse compound, they combed through every inch of it, inspecting surveillance cameras dating back months as well as guest lists. They also were examining the comings and goings of staff members, who are strictly vetted before employment and drawn from the rank and file of the Guards as well as from the Basij, its paramilitary volunteer task force, the two Iranian officials said.

The investigation also focused on Tehran’s international and domestic airports, where agents have been stationed, looking through months of footage on cameras from the arrival and departure lounges and examining flight lists, the two Iranians said. They said that Iran believes members of Mossad’s assassin team are still in the country and their goal is to arrest them.

An Iranian member of the Revolutionary Guards, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak, said he was not aware of the arrests, but said that security protocols had been completely overhauled in the past two days for senior officials. The security details for senior officials were changed, and electronic equipment such as mobile phones swapped. He said some senior officials had been moved to a different location.

A former president of Iran, Hassan Rouhani, who has served in senior security roles, said in a statement that by assassinating Mr. Haniyeh, Israel was also “targeting Iran’s security and stability at the start of a new government,” and he added that the way to confront the threat would be for all security, intelligence and military branches to cooperate and strengthen their capabilities.

NEW YORK TIMES