Spotlight on Iran

• Iranian leaders condemned the attack in which the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei said that “the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground through this operation for a heavy punishment for it.”
• The Iranian Foreign Ministry condemned the killing of senior Hezbollah operative Fouad Shukr in Lebanon. Before the operation, senior Iranian officials warned against a strong Israeli response in Lebanon following the rocket attack on Majdal Shams. According to them, an Israeli offensive initiative will lead to unexpected and severe consequences and expand the war in the region.
• Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian held a series of meetings with senior members of the “axis of resistance” who came to Tehran to participate in his swearing-in ceremony. He stressed Iran’s continued support for the “resistance front.” During their visit to Tehran, some senior Axis figures also met with Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
• Iran strongly condemned Prime Minister Netanyahu’s invitation to address the US Congress.
• The Shiite pro-Iranian militias in Iraq continue their preparations for the possibility of a war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon and have threatened that the “axis of resistance” would use all its military capabilities.
• The US attacked a base of pro-Iranian Shiite militias in Iraq, killing at least four. Previously, American bases in Iraq and Syria had been attacked. There were no casualties.
• Senior Houthi officials continued to threaten retaliation against Israel following the attack on the port of al-Hudaydah.