The New York Times, citing Iranian security officials, reported that Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has ordered the country's security officials to directly target the cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv in Israel with missile attacks in response to the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh.
According to the New York Times report, Ali Khamenei made these statements today, Wednesday, July 31, during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council. Meanwhile, Israel Army Radio also reported that Iran is organizing attacks on Israel from Iranian, Syrian, Iraqi, Lebanese, and Yemeni territories. Additionally, Israel's Channel 12 reported that foreign airlines have started canceling their flights to Israel due to security concerns.
The European Union has called for restraint on both sides. The BBC, quoting Peter Stano, the EU spokesperson, wrote: "No country and no nation will benefit from further tension in the Middle East." On the other hand, the White House has announced that it cannot confirm reports about the death of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas. In a statement released by the White House, no further details were provided on the matter, but it was mentioned that US forces in the Middle East are on high alert.
