TEHRAN – A senior Iranian military commander has vowed that Iran will retaliate for the Israeli assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran. 

In an interview with China Media Group (CMG) during the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination, made it clear that Iran’s response is inevitable, but the timing will be decided at the country’s discretion. 

He warned that Israel and its allies, despite their defenses, would be unable to prevent Iran’s surprise action.

Sayyari emphasized that Iran’s response would be deliberate and well-timed. 

He referred to a past retaliatory strike, True Promise Operation, which Iran launched on April 14 against Israeli military targets. This operation was a response to Israel’s April 1 airstrike that killed seven Iranian military personnel in Syria. According to Sayyari, the April operation was intended to demonstrate Iran’s military capability and send a clear message to Israel and its allies.

Sayyari noted that during the April strike, Israel was heavily supported by its allies, including the United States, France, Germany, the United Kingdom, and Jordan, with their air defense systems, including the Iron Dome, fully activated to fend off the attack. Despite this, Sayyari questioned whether Israel and its allies could maintain such high levels of preparedness indefinitely to counter future Iranian strikes. "They cannot," he warned.

He went on to say that while Western governments, including the U.S., have sent numerous messages urging Iran not to retaliate for the assassination of Haniyeh, Iran’s decision to respond is unwavering. 

“The response to Haniyeh’s martyrdom is certain, but we will choose the right moment. It will be a calculated and prudent action,” Sayyari remarked.

The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent Hamas leader, took place in Tehran on July 31 while he was attending the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. 

The killing has provoked strong reactions from Iran's leadership, with Leader of Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei issuing a stern warning to Israel. Ayatollah Khamenei declared that a "harsh response" for Haniyeh's assassination was inevitable, framing it as Iran’s duty to avenge the death of a key figure in the Palestinian Resistance.