Saudi Arabia has described the killing of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh as a “blatant violation” of Iran’s sovereignty, Al Jazeera reported. Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister, Waleed al-Khereiji, stated that his country rejects “any violation of the sovereignty of states or interference in the internal affairs of any country.” He made this statement during an extraordinary meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
Hamas and Iran have blamed Israel for Haniyeh’s killing in Tehran on July 31. However, the Israeli government has not commented on the incident. The OIC has also blamed Israel for the attack that killed Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, leading Iran to vow retaliation, according to the Al Jazeera report.
In a statement following the meeting, the OIC declared that it “holds Israel, the illegal occupying power, fully responsible for this heinous attack,” describing it as “a serious infringement” of Iran’s sovereignty. Gambia’s Foreign Minister, Mamadou Tangara, warned that Haniyeh’s “heinous” killing and the ongoing war in Gaza could potentially spark a regional conflict. He termed the killing a “violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of Iran.
Tangara stated, “The aggression and violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Islamic Republic of Iran by the assassination of a political leader on its soil is an act that cannot be viewed in isolation.” He added, “This heinous act serves only to escalate the existing tensions, potentially leading to a wider conflict that could involve the entire region.”
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At the OIC meeting, Tangara called for “durable peace that addresses the root causes of the [Israeli-Palestinian] conflict.” He emphasized the need for the international community to ensure that humanitarian aid reaches those in need and to work towards a sustainable political solution that promotes peace and security for all in the region.
Iran and Palestine had called for the OIC meeting in Jeddah. Iran has vowed retaliation, threatening “harsh punishment” for Israel. Meanwhile, the US and other Western nations have called for de-escalation, according to Al Jazeera. Haniyeh has been replaced by Hamas’s Gaza chief, Yahya Sinwar.
Tensions in West Asia have risen after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on July 31 that Ismail Haniyeh had been killed in an attack in Tehran. The IRGC reported that Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed when their house was hit by a projectile in Tehran at 2 am local time on Wednesday. According to Press TV, the residence hit was allocated to war veterans.
In a statement to Mehr News Agency, the IRGC said, “With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine, the Islamic nation, the combatants of the Resistance Front, and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred.”
Additionally, the IDF announced that top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli strike in southern Lebanon on July 30, in retaliation for a rocket attack at Golan Heights that killed 12 children, The Times of Israel reported. Fuad Shukr, the “most senior Hezbollah military commander,” was killed in the strike, according to the IDF. Shukr, who sat on the Jihad Council and was considered head of Hezbollah’s strategic division, had been managing Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel since October 7.
The IDF post on X read, “Eliminated: Fuad Shukr ‘Sayyid Muhsan,’ Hezbollah’s Most Senior Military Commander and Hassan Nasrallah’s Right-Hand Man. Shukr has directed Hezbollah’s attacks on the State of Israel since October 8, and he was responsible for the murder of 12 children in Majdal Shams in northern Israel on Saturday evening, as well as numerous killings of Israelis and foreign nationals over the years. He was also responsible for Hezbollah’s advanced weaponry, including precision-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets, and UAVs.”
(With ANI Inputs)
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