Israel’s escalation with the assassination of Haniyeh has put the Middle East on edge, as it does not want a global war

The murder of Ismail Haniyehpolitical leader of Hamasin Tehran, when he was going to participate in the inauguration of the new president of Iran, Masoud Pezeshkianis another step by Israel in the escalation of the Middle East conflict.

This is not the first Israeli attack outside the Palestinian territories, but Haniyeh’s role as the public face of the Islamic Resistance Movement’s international diplomacy is particularly relevant. Haniyeh, who resided in Qatar, has led delegations to third countries and participated in international talks to achieve a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.

Israel is still silent on the assassination, which no one doubts is attributed to him, but he rarely confirms or denies his attacks in Iran. “We are not seeking war, but we are prepared for all scenarios,” said the Israeli defense minister, Yoav Gallant.

Hamas’s armed wing has warned that the assassination “takes the battle to new dimensions and will have greater repercussions.” Iran has also warned that the Israeli occupation “will regret the cowardly murder.”

The new attack has outraged regional leaders who are keen to contain a global escalation of the conflict. “The strategy of political assassinations raises questions about how negotiations can be held in which one of the parties kills the other, with whom it negotiates at the same time,” he said. Mohamed bin Abderrahman Al Thanithe prime minister of Tasteone of the countries that act as mediators.

Another of the mediators, Egypthas condemned the “Israeli escalation” and warned that “the policy of assassinations” and “violation of the sovereignty of other States” will have “serious consequences” on security in the Middle East.

Other countries, including Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Turkey and even the Palestinian National Authority, Hamas’s political rival, have condemned the killing. Its president, Mahmoud Abbas, who rules the occupied West Bank, called it “a cowardly act and a dangerous event” and declared a day of official mourning.

Messages of condemnation and mourning for Haniyeh’s death have come from places like Iraq, Jordan, Syria, Egypt, and even from former political rivals like the president of the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), Mahmoud Abbaswhich rules parts of the occupied West Bank.

On July 23, Hamas and Fatah, led by Abbas, signed a declaration in Beijing in which they pledged to end the division that has prevailed since 2007 between these two Palestinian factions and to strengthen unity with the other groups.

At the same time, the risk of an open war between Israel and Hezbollah is increasing, following the Israeli army’s attack on the Shiite militia in the heart of Lebanon, in “response” to the attack on the Golan Heights that the Zionist state attributes to Hezbollah, which it, however, categorically denies responsibility for.

Hezbollah has yet to confirm the death of its commander, Fuad Shukrin the Israeli attack on Beirut, but he has acknowledged that he was in the building.

In April, Iran responded to an Israeli attack on the Iranian embassy in Beirut by launching drones and missiles at targets in Israel, with prior warning, which were mostly intercepted and caused no casualties.

Amos Yadlina retired Israeli general consulted by EFE, believes that, this time too, Iran will hold back its response. Yadlin believes that both Hezbollah and Iran will respond, but “they are studying a modus operandi that is strong enough to send a message, but that does not lead to a war that is of no interest to anyone.”