International
Breaking: Islamic Republic Says Hamas Leader Assassinated in Tehran
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran announced Wednesday that the leader of the Hamas terrorist organization, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated along with his accompanying bodyguard in Tehran.
Foreign Desk News reports while Iran’s regime officials have not given any details on how the 62-year-old was killed, but state media in the Islamic Republic have been blaming Israel for arranging his death.
A spokesperson for Hamas expressed similar sentiments in a statement that claimed he was dispatched in “a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.”
Haniyeh lives in Qatar, but was in Tehran to attend the Tuesday inauguration of newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian.
The Associated Press reports U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken has spoken with the prime minister of Qatar, a key mediator in cease-fire talks for Gaza. The State Department says Blinken “emphasized the importance of continuing to work to reach a cease-fire to the conflict in Gaza that would secure the release of hostages, alleviate the suffering of the Palestinian people and unlock the possibility of broader stability.”
Blinken also said the U.S. would keep working to ensure a deal is reached in the 10-month war.
CNN reports Haniyeh was the second leader of an Iran-backed group assassinated in the past day, following the killing by Israel of a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei vowed to avenge Haniyeh’s death. “You killed our dear guest in our house and now have paved the way for your harsh punishment,” he said, referring to Israel. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the US was “not aware of or involved in” the killing of Haniyeh.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied being behind the Haniyeh assassination. However, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, referring to the Beirut attack, said Israel did not seek war but was “preparing for all possibilities.”
Hamas spokesperson and deputy head Khalil al-Hayya said Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was hit directly by a rocket in the room where he was staying in Tehran, and that Hamas’ military wing the Al Qassam Brigades would not let the killing “go unaccounted for.”
Earlier in the day, Iranian state media reported that Haniyeh was killed by an “airborne guided projectile,” though it was unclear what form that took.
Speaking at a press conference in the Iranian capital, al-Hayya said Israel would “pay the price for heinous crime” of assassinating Haniyeh.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for Haniyeh’s death.
Follow Steve Postal: @HebraicMosaic
———
What would a new Trump administration mean for the Middle East? Expect the following:
Increased Pressure on Iran and its Proxies
Brian Hook, Trump’s former special envoy to Iran who is believed to be leading Trump’s transition team for the State Department, stated that the new Trump administration would seek to “…isolate Iran diplomatically and weaken them economically, so that they can’t fund all of the violence…” coming from Iran’s proxies, “…all of whom destabilize Israel and our Gulf partners.” This approach contrasts with the Biden-Harris administration, who engaged the Islamic Republic diplomatically and economically, and even removed the Houthis from the Specially Designated Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity list from February 2021 through January 2024. That being said, Hook also stated that the new Trump administration would have “no interest in regime change” in Iran, and that decisions about the future of Iran lies with its people.
The Trump administration may green light an Israeli attack on Iran’s nuclear sites. GOP spokeswoman Elizabeth Pipko refused to say whether President-elect Trump would approve of Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites, stating that Trump should speak for himself on this issue and will do so when he assumes office. However, Trump had stated in October that Israel should strike Iran’s nuclear sites. In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration vocally opposed Israel attacking Iran’s nuclear sites or oil fields, and Israel’s attack plans were leaked to Iran through someone in the Biden-Harris administration’s Defense department.
Striving to End Wars in Lebanon and Gaza
According to Pipko, President-elect Trump wants Israel to end the wars in Gaza and Lebanon quickly, decisively, and with victory. Pipko contrasted this approach with the Biden-Harris administration’s “back and forth” policy, and that the Biden-Harris administration was pressuring how Israel conducts war based on election considerations. The Biden-Harris administration was guilty of “armchair quarterbacking” Israel’s wars in an unproductive way, including by leaking Israel’s plans to strike Lebanon, opposing the Rafah invasion, and opposing the killing of several arch-terrorists.
Trump will also likely prioritize the release of the hostages; Trump recently threatened Hamas, stating that if they did not free its hostages before inauguration day, it will pay “a very big price.” In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration has been spinning its wheels in endless failed diplomacy with Qatar, having not produced a hostage deal with Hamas since November 2023.
Pursuing a Conditional Peace with Palestinians
President-elect Donald Trump will likely re-visit his 2020 peace plan between Israel and the Palestinians, according to Brian Hook. Regarding the 2020 plan, Hook stated that “much of that work is still relevant today.”
On the issue of a Palestinian state, expect that the Trump administration won’t pursue a Palestinian state unconditionally for its own sake, as the Biden-Harris administration has. Hook conceded that Trump’s 2020 plan, which was endorsed by Israel and U.S.’ allies in the Gulf, “had a path to a two-state solution.” But Hook also recognized that Israelis are not focused on a Palestinian state now, and are instead focused on protecting themselves from terrorism in the wake of the October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
Additionally, Palestinian Authority (PA) President Mahmoud Abbas outright rejected the 2020 plan, and the plan also required the PA to provide security guarantees for Israel, recognize Israel, and allow Israeli citizens to remain in Judea and Samaria, all of which the PA did not agree to. If the new Trump administration seeks to revive this plan, it will likely revive these conditions for a Palestinian state as well. The PA will then in turn likely reject it a second time, proving again that the PA is not a partner for peace.
Expanding the Abraham Accords
President-elect Trump is also poised to expand the Abraham Accords. Trump brokered normalization deals between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. Reportedly, the previous Trump administration was on the verge of expanding the Abraham Accords to Indonesia and Mauritania, but were prevented from doing so once the administration’s term expired. During the past Trump administration, Saudi Arabia had been trying to get Pakistan to join the Abraham Accords as well.
In contrast, the Biden-Harris administration failed to add any countries to the Abraham Accords. Most notably is the administration’s failure to clinch an Israel-Saudi Arabia deal after chilling US relations with Saudi Arabiaand insisting on a Palestinian state as an integral part of any deal. The Biden-Harris administration seems content with now pursuing a bilateral US-Saudi deal that ices out Israel, which would completely undermine the spirit of the Abraham Accords.
Jared Kushner has had multiple discussions with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the issue of US-Israel-Saudi relations since President-elect Trump left office. So given past efforts, the new Trump administration could clinch Abraham Accords deals with Indonesia, Mauritania, Oman, and/or the big prize, Saudi Arabia.
-
Immigration7 days ago‘Times’ Up’ For Tren de Aragua Members, Major Arrest in NYC
-
Media6 days agoTHE POOR DEARS: White House Reporters Claim They’re Already ‘Exhausted’ by Second Trump Administration
-
Immigration6 days agoCNN Host’s Reaction to Tom Homan Comments About Denver Mayor Speaks Volumes (VIDEO)
-
Politics6 days agoBiden Omits God From Thanksgiving Message
