The international community has been on edge for more than two weeks due to Iran’s threat to avenge Israel. This much-anticipated assault, which was at first envisioned as an immediate reaction to the murder of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, has not yet occurred. In addition to raising regional tensions, the delay has sparked conjecture about Iran’s hidden motivations for its tardiness.
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31 provides context for Iran’s threat. An important target for Israeli interests was Haniyeh, a well-known member of Hamas, an organization that the US and the EU both consider to be a terrorist organization.
