Ismail Haniyeh's killing elicits vows to retaliate

The killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday prompted a torrent of angry reaction. Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Iran took it as a duty to avenge Haniyeh's assassination, which he blamed on Israel.

President Masoud Pezeshkian used nearly identical words, saying the terrorist occupiers would regret killing Haniyeh.

Head of Hamas' political wing since 2017, Haniyeh lived in exile in Qatar. He was in Iran for the swearing in of President Pezeshkian when he was killed.

Lebanese group Hezbollah eulogized Haniyeh as a great resistance leader, while the US defense secretary played down fears of a regional war.

Israel has not denied or confirmed killing Haniyeh, but had pledged to kill him and other Hamas leaders it blames for the raid on October 7.

Iran did not specify when or what its retaliation will look like. In April, Tehran avenged the bombing of its consulate in Syria by launching a massive drone and missile attack on Israel, prompting the US, France and the UK to run its rescue.

Haniyeh's assassination came just days after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's trip to the US. Washington has denied knowing and aiding Israel in the attack.