Iran Raises Red Flag after Ismail Haniyeh Killed, Symbol of Revenge

TEHERAN – Iran has raised the red flag over the Jam Karan mosque in Qom after the leader Hamas Ismail Haniyeh was killed at his residence in Tehran on Wednesday.

According to reports New ArabFriday (2/8/2024), the red flag symbolizes revenge—an indication that the country is preparing a response to the killing of Haniyeh by Israel.

Such a flag was raised when Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Quds Force commander General Qassem Soleimani was killed in a US airstrike in 2020. The red flag was also raised after the Kerman funeral bombing in 2024.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, as reported New York Timeshas given orders to Iran to attack Israel directly in response to Haniyeh’s murder.

The report cited three Iranian officials who were briefed on Khamenei’s order.

Khamenei issued the order during an emergency meeting of the Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning, shortly after Haniyeh was killed in the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying.

Two of the three sources interviewed New York Times from the IRGC. They asked not to be identified because they were not authorized to speak to the media.

Latest report from New York Times mentioned that Haniyeh was killed by a bomb smuggled into a guest house in Tehran two months ago.

The report quoted five Middle Eastern officials as saying: “The bomb was hidden about two months ago in the guesthouse.”

“The bomb was detonated remotely,” they added. “After it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guest house.”