Heinous terrorist crime: World leaders react to Haniyeh’s killing

The assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, while he was attending the inauguration of Iran's new president in the early hours of Wednesday morning in Tehran, prompted a cascade of regional and international reactions, raising concerns about further instability in a region already fraught with tensions.

According to Hamas, Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike within Iran's borders. This comes amid ongoing conflict between Israel and Gaza, as well as escalating strife in Lebanon. Iran's Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh’s death, describing it as a "crime" and signalling that both Iran and its allied militant groups across the Middle East would respond decisively.

Iran's Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, vowed severe retribution against Israel, framing the assassination as an act of aggression that warrants a strong response. Khamenei warned of severe retaliation, calling revenge a duty for the killing of Iran’s esteemed guest. In response to the killing, Iran has declared three days of mourning.

The assassination has provoked a range of reactions from various stakeholders. In Palestine, President Mahmoud Abbas condemned the attack, and Palestinian factions in the West Bank have called for a general strike and mass demonstrations in protest. Hamas officials have described the killing as an attempt to undermine their resolve and destabilize their operations, but have pledged to persist in their struggle.

Internationally, the assassination has elicited condemnation and concern. Russia labelled the killing as an “unacceptable political assassination,” with Russian officials predicting that it could lead to an increase in regional tensions and animosity. Similarly, China has voiced its opposition to the assassination, stressing that such acts contribute to the destabilization of the region.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan condemned the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, describing it as a “perfidious assassination” and denouncing “Zionist barbarity.” On social media, Erdogan mourned Haniyeh as a fallen martyr, accusing the attack of aiming to sabotage the Palestinian cause and intimidate Palestinians.

Qatar also strongly condemned the killing, labelling it a heinous crime and a dangerous escalation that violates international and humanitarian law. The Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs warned that such actions could lead to regional chaos and undermine peace efforts.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi group condemned the assassination as a “heinous terrorist crime,” with Mohammed Ali Al-Houthi, a Houthi political bureau member, emphasizing that targeting Haniyeh was a violation of laws and values. The Houthis have been actively launching attacks in the Red Sea since November, expressing solidarity with Palestinians amid the Gaza conflict.

Hezbollah, a prominent militant group in Lebanon with ties to Iran, issued condolences but refrained from explicitly blaming Israel. The group suggested that Haniyeh’s assassination would likely intensify the resolve of Iran-aligned factions to confront Israel.

As of now, the United States has yet to provide a detailed response to the incident. U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin, when queried, stated he had no additional information but expressed hope for a diplomatic resolution to ongoing tensions between Israel and Lebanon.