Ayatollah Ali Khamenei didn’t even wait for the emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council to end before issuing the order for “a direct strike on Israel.” It seems he’s using the assassination of a visiting Hamas top official as an excuse to start World War III. He may even have a nuke or two by now. It’s been more than two weeks since they announced he could do it by then.
Ayatollah declares war
For all intents and purposes, Iran’s Ayatollah Ali Khamenei declared war against Israel on Wednesday. He’s cheesed off because “top Hamas official Ismail Haniyeh” was killed in an airstrike hours earlier.
The command was issued “during an emergency meeting of the country’s Supreme National Security Council, which convened shortly after the assassination.” It seems the New York Times knows “three Iranian officials” who were “briefed on the matter.”
Israel hadn’t officially claimed responsibility but Iran and Hamas were both certain who did it. Antony Blinken was quick to rush out a statement that the United States had nothing to do with this one. We were aware that they were taking out Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr.
JUST IN: 🇮🇷 🇮🇱 Iran's Supreme-Leader, Ali Khamenei orders Iranian Armed Forces to launch a direct strike on Israel. pic.twitter.com/stQpyyJsB9
— Prithwiraj Bhattacharya (@Prithwirajb007) July 31, 2024
He’s the one responsible for killing the dozen Druze kids in Golan Heights. U.S. officials were monitoring in real time as they assassinated him in Beirut. The Ayatollah didn’t mention Hezbollah but they’re owned by Iran.
Things are complicated diplomatically because “Haniyeh, who was the Palestinian terror group’s political leader, was in Iran for the inauguration of the country’s new president when he was killed.” That’s considered “bad form” in political circles.
One thing is certain, the Ayatollah didn’t like it. “The assassination has ratcheted up tensions in the Middle East even higher.”

Vengeance a duty
The Ayatollah was hopping up and down yelling “we see avenging his blood our duty.” That’s because “it happened on the territory of the Islamic Republic.” Israel, he swears, is in for “a severe punishment.” Khamenei “has the last word on all state matters and is also the commander in chief of the armed forces.”
He ordered plans drawn up “for both an attack and a defense in the event that the war expands and Israel or the United States strike Iran.” That makes it look like things are really getting serious.
Since the Hamas attack on Israel October 7, Iran has balanced “showing strength against the risk of escalation.”
Haniyeh killing risks dragging US into open conflict with Iran: Haniyeh killing risks dragging US into open conflict with Iran Iran's response to Ismail Haniyeh's assassination is likely to involve other members of 'axis of resistance', complicating a… https://t.co/e4i1UWRGce pic.twitter.com/MVKIZqWGM9
— Asif Patel (@A51FR3D) July 31, 2024
They’ve been using Hamas, Hezbollah and other fanatic terrorist factions to put “pressure on Israel with sharply increased attacks.” At the same time, the Ayatollah has been careful to avoid all-out war. That might no longer be possible.
In April, Iran launched “hundreds of missiles and drones in retaliation for an Israeli strike on its embassy compound that killed several Iranian military commanders in Damascus, Syria.” They blustered about it ahead of time enough that Israel was well prepared and “little damage was done.” The experts suggest that the Ayatollah is likely to use the same technique again, without the warning.
“Iranian military commanders are considering another combination attack of drones and missiles on military targets in the vicinity of Tel Aviv and Haifa, but would make a point of avoiding strikes on civilian targets.” One option “is a coordinated attack from Iran and other fronts where it has allied forces, including Yemen, Syria and Iraq, for maximum effect.“