Israel Unable to Fend Off Iran’s Retaliatory Surprise Attack: General
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iran will definitely respond to the Israeli assassination of the Hamas chief in Tehran at a timing left to its discretion, a ranking Army commander said, warning that the Zionist regime and its allies won’t be able to counter Iran’s surprise action.
In an interview with the China Media Group (CMG) on the sidelines of the 11th Beijing Xiangshan Forum, Deputy Chief of the Iranian Army for Coordination Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari stated that Iran will certainly take revenge for the Israeli assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh at a preferable timing.
Citing the retaliatory ‘True Promise Operation’ that the Iranian armed forces carried out against the Israeli military targets in the occupied territories on April 14 in revenge for the Israeli regime’s April 1 airstrike that killed seven Iranian military commanders and advisers in Syria, Sayyari said that operation was only meant to display Iran’s capability to harm the Zionist regime.
The general noted that the Israeli regime was assisted by the US, France, Germany, the UK and Jordan on April 14 as all air defense systems and the so-called Iron Dome were activated to stand against Iran’s retaliatory strike.
“But the question is whether they (Israel and allies) can always maintain such preparedness to act against our surprise strikes? They cannot,” he said.
The general stated the Iran won’t reverse the decision or announce the timing of its plan to take revenge for the assassination of Haniyeh although the Western governments and the US have sent tens of messages asking Iran to refrain from retaliation.
“Nevertheless, we will give our response. The response for the martyrdom of Haniyeh is definite, but the timing is left to our discretion. Such response needs to be prudent and discreet,” Sayyari added.
Head of the political bureau of Hamas Ismail Haniyeh, who was in Tehran to attend the Iranian president’s swearing-in ceremony, was martyred in an Israeli operation in the early hours of July 31.
Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyed Ali Khamenei has warned the Israeli regime of a "harsh response" for Haniyeh's assassination, calling it the Islamic Republic's duty to avenge the Palestinian resistance leader's blood.
