BEIRUT – Hezbollah, Houthis and Islamic Jihad – the Iran-backed groups active in the Middle East – on Wednesday promised continue fighting against Israel, as the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh has shocked the entire world.

In a message shared through social media platform Telegram, Hezbollah said the killing will embolden the determination and stubbornness of “resistance fighters” and will make “their resolve stronger” in fighting against Israel.

PAIN, ANGER AND PRIDE

Hezbollah also mentioned the mutual feelings of pain, anger and pride.

“We in Hezbollah share with our dear brothers in the Hamas movement all the feelings of pain over the loss of this great leader, the feelings of anger at the enemy’s crimes, the feelings of pride that the leaders in our movements are leading their people and their mujahedeen to martyrdom.”

The statement comes as Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei promised harsh punishment for “the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime” of Israel.

Similarly, President Masoud Pezeshkian vowed to defend the country’s territorial integrity and dignity.

“The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honor, dignity and pride, and make the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly action,” Pezeshkian warned.

A TERRORIST CRIME

Separately, a member of Houthis’ political bureau termed the assassination of Haniyeh as “a heinous terrorist crime” and “a flagrant violation of laws and ideal values”

Mohammed Ali al-Houthi expressed these views, as the Houthis in Yemen have been targeting ships in the Red Sea – one of the busiest shipping routes in the world and the Gulf of Aden. The purpose of these attacks to disrupt movement of goods meant for Israel and its western allies, thus trying to force the Netanyahu government to stop its aggression against the Palestinians trapped in the Gaza Enclave.

DIRECTED AT IRAN

The Islamic Jihad – one of the Palestinian resistance groups – on Wednesday said the assassination of Haniyeh was also directed at Iran. Israel was facing the current level of resistance for the first time in its history, one of its top leaders noted.

Muhammad al-Hindi told Lebanese TV station Al Mayadeen that “this assassination is not only directed at the Palestinian resistance and Hamas, in particular, but it is also directed at Iran.”

“Israel is on the verge of collapse, and its reactions reflect confusion and inability to achieve any of its goals,” Al Jazeera reported him as saying.