Gaza update: Hamas appoints new leader as Middle East braces for more violence

By Jonathan Este, Senior International Affairs Editor, Associate Editor
Sam Phelps, Commissioning Editor, International Affairs

Iran is going to launch a retaliatory strike against Israel for the dual assassinations of Hamas leader, Ismail Haniyeh, on July 31 and Hezbollah’s number two, Fuad Shukr, just hours before. The only questions are when, where and how far will Iran go, which leads to its own supplemental question: how dangerous will this situation now become?

Iran’s intention to retaliate was announced on July 7 by acting foreign minister, Ali Bagheri-Kani, at an extraordinary session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation in Saudi Arabia. Bagheri-Kani told the meeting: “In the absence of appropriate…

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