Iran threatens Direct Strike on Israel

Following the death of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on Wednesday, Iran’s Ayatollah Khamenei is reported to have ordered a direct attack on the Jewish state, having previously said it is the Islamic Republic of Iran’s duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was killed in their territory.

That threat prompted Benjamin Netanyahu to tell the Israeli people:

"There are challenging days ahead of us since the attack in Beirut,
threats have been heard from all sides. We are prepared for any scenario
and will stand united and determined against any threat.
Israel will exact a heavy price from any aggression against us on any front."

Israel’s government has closed airspace north of the city of Hadera to civilian aircraft for 24 hours, closing almost a third of the country’s airspace. It has also heightened security for senior politicians.

And retailers in Israel say there is an increase of up to 250 percent in sales of generators and portable power stations. Israelis are also buying more home freezers.

United Airlines, Delta, and British Airways are among major airlines that have decided to temporarily suspend flights to Israel from Thursday, with the United Airlines suspension currently planned to last until 7th August.

Amid these threats and concerns, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken appealed on Thursday for all parties to stop taking actions that escalate the conflict, saying that it is crucial to break this cycle where the Middle East is on a path toward more conflict, more violence, more suffering, more insecurity.