After the assassination of Ismail Haniya, fears of Iranian retaliation are intensifying as Tehran’s leadership vows to avenge the death of the political leader of Hamas.

In a new message to Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, the commander of the Iran’s Revolutionary GuardsHossein Salami, said the “enemies of the nation, especially the Zionist gang and its supporters,” would pay.

His comments refer to the expected military response to the killing of Haniya and that of Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

Although it has not claimed responsibility for Ismail Haniya’s murder, Iran and Hezbollah blame Israel.

The first to start the dance of threats yesterday was Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who issued an order for a direct strike on Israel.

Khamenei gave the order at an emergency meeting of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning, shortly after Iran announced that Haniya had been killed.