Israel is restoring its deterrence in the eyes of the Iranians, Iranian-Israeli journalist Babak Itzhaki of Iran International told 103FM Wednesday morning following the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.
Itzhaki explained the significance of the killing of Haniyeh while he was in Tehran, describing it as a huge embarrassment for the Iranians.
"It seems to them like Israel is restoring its lost deterrence in the eyes of the Iranians," he explained. He elaborated that if Israel did this, it means they had managed to essentially send a missile into Haniyeh's bedroom.
"And where? Inside Tehran, where it is supposed to be safest. In the capital of the biggest supporter of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad."
He continued, "The last we saw of [Haniyeh] was last night. They took him and all the leaders of the Axis of Resistance to a presentation in the heart of Tehran. And what was there? A model of al-Aqsa Mosque and the Temple Mount. And you could see him hugging the new president of Iran."
Will Iran respond to the death of Haniyeh?
Regarding the possibility of potential retaliation from Iran, Itzhaki said he doesn't think Israel has crossed a line yet.
"I do not think a red line has been crossed," he explained. "The red line is the direct attack on Iranian soil, like what happened at the Iranian consulate [in Damascus]. Based on what we have seen in the past, when Israel does not take responsibility for something like this, the Iranians will not respond."
However, he admitted he had been wrong before.
"I sat in the Channel 12 news studio before the Iranian attack [from April 2024] and said that Iran would not attack Israel, and the next day, I sat in the same studio and ate my words, and we saw they launched 400 missiles," Itzhaki recounted. "In our crazy Middle East, anything is possible, but my assessment is that a direct Iranian response is not expected right now. No Iranians were killed – a Hamas member was killed. At the moment, they are trying to somehow contain it and not respond. They have a bigger problem right now, which is Hezbollah and the assassination of Fuad Shukr. In my opinion, this has a much bigger impact on Iran."