The killing this week of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, hours after the Israeli assassination of Hezbollah’s military chief Fuad Shukr in Beirut, has intensified the voices clamouring for revenge.
Hezbollah has been exchanging near-daily cross-border fire with Israeli forces since October, saying it is acting in support of Hamas. The group announced it had fired dozens of Katyusha rockets at the northern Israeli settlement of Beit Hillel as Iran said it expects Hezbollah to hit deeper inside Israel and no longer be confined to military targets.
The US, UK and France called on their citizens to leave Lebanon – where the powerful Iran-backed Hezbollah movement is based – and airlines cancelled flights. Canada warned citizens to avoid all travel to Israel, saying the regional armed conflict endangered security.
Indian nationals in Israel have been asked to stay vigilant and adhere to the safety protocols following the escalating tension in the region. The advisory for the Indian citizens in Israel comes a day after the Indian Embassy in Beirut strongly advised Indian nationals against travelling to Lebanon till further notice. It also advised them to leave Lebanon.
The Pentagon said it was bolstering its military presence in the Middle East to protect US personnel and defend Israel.
Haniyeh was Hamas’s lead negotiator in efforts to end the war. His killing raised questions about the continued viability of efforts by Qatari, Egyptian and US mediators to broker a truce and exchange of hostages and prisoners.
Hamas said it had begun a “broad consultation process” to choose a new leader three days after the assassination of Haniyeh.
US President Joe Biden expressed hope Iran would stand down despite its threat to avenge the assassination of Hamas and Hezbollah leaders in Tehran. Biden said he was “very concerned” about rising tensions in the region, adding that the killing of Haniyeh had “not helped” the situation.
Israel, meanwhile, warned its adversaries they would “pay a very high price” for any “aggression”. “Israel is at a very high level of preparation for any scenario, both defensive and offensive,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement.
The war in Gaza has caused widespread destruction and displaced almost the entire population of the territory where, the UN said on Friday, public health conditions “continue to deteriorate”.