The Blubber

Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei ordered a direct strike on Israel during an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, according to a report by the New York Times on Wednesday. The order was issued in retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of the terrorist group Hamas, who was killed on Tuesday. While Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the assassination, Israel has not claimed responsibility.

The attack appears to be part of Iran's broader stance in the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict, where Iran has positioned itself as a supporter of Palestine. Previously, in April, the United States and the United Kingdom imposed sanctions on Iran after it launched missiles and drones in response to an Israeli drone strike on an Iranian embassy in Syria, which resulted in the death of two Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps leaders.

Khamenei has consistently expressed support for Hamas, including via social media. In May, he praised American pro-Palestine student protesters and has openly condemned Zionism, describing it as a "cancer" that he hopes will be eradicated by the Palestinian people and regional Resistance forces.

This order for a direct strike on Israel aligns with growing international support for Hamas in its conflict with Israel. The latest escalation began in October 2023 when Hamas terrorists launched an invasion of Israel. Recently, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan also hinted at potentially joining the conflict on the side of Hamas, suggesting, "there is no reason why we cannot do this."