Hamas’s political chief Ismail Haniya has been killed. The Israeli Army is also claiming the death of the military chief of the terrorist organization Mohammad Daif. Now only Yahya Sinwar is left among the three big leaders of Hamas. From this it seems that Israel took revenge for the attack on its citizens on October 7. However, it is also possible that the countries supporting Palestine from a distance may also join the war. In such a situation, India and even America sitting far away will not remain untouched by its impact.
Why is the matter gaining momentum?
The entire building in Tehran where Ismail Haniya, who had arrived for the swearing-in ceremony of the President of Iran, was staying, was blown up in an airstrike. Since then the entire Middle East including Palestine is in trouble. Especially Iran, where the attack took place. There are continuous news and statements coming from there that Iran will not let the assassination of the Hamas leader go in vain. He will take revenge from Israel.
The murder that took place amidst tight security in Tehran clearly shows that Israel is very powerful and it is not easy to confront it. Even after this, there is a deepening suspicion that the Middle East is on the verge of a major war. If the war escalates, it will not be limited to itself, rather the heat can spread to the world including Delhi.
Know what is the meaning of these high-profile murders.
This leader was talking about hostages
Hamas is considering Haniya’s murder as a provocative act because Haniya was the chief of the political bureau based in Qatar. He was the moderate face of Hamas, which spread its message all over the world. He was the one talking about hostages and the terms of the ceasefire. His visit to an important place in Iran and his assassination in an airstrike will not go unnoticed by Hamas. At least similar statements are coming from there.
The place of murder is also a big deal
The attack took place in Tehran, which is the capital of Iran. This country was seen as the protector of Hamas. In such a situation, killing Haniya there is also giving the message that the ideology of Hamas is no longer safe even under the Iranian patronage. There was a conflict between Iran and Israel in April this year. Now this murder is expected to trigger a more aggressive phase of fighting.
The newly elected Iranian President will also be affected
Along with Hamas, demands also started rising within Iran to take revenge from Israel for Haniya’s death. This will put pressure on the recently arrived President of Iran, Masood Pezeshkian. Pageshkian’s image is that of a liberal leader. In such a situation, it is possible that there may be instability within Iran also. Let us tell you that Pejeshkian kept talking about good economic relations with Europe and America, but due to pressure from fundamentalists, he may have to change this decision.
Israeli PM’s image strengthened
This murder could prove to be a lifeline for Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu. In fact, after the October 7 incident and hundreds of Israeli citizens being taken hostage by Hamas, Netanyahu’s image was weakening. It was believed that he was not that effective in saving his country and his people. But after this incident his image got strengthened once again.
America will also not remain untouched
There are presidential elections in America in a few months. In this, Kamala Harris has come from the Democrats’ side, replacing Joe Biden. She seemed tough on Israel, including Netanyahu. But now the strategy may change while claiming for the post of President. In fact, there is a large section of American youth who support Israel.
It is also a fact that people from Muslim-majority countries including the Middle East have also become a big vote bank in America, whose minds are directly linked to Hamas. At the same time, Republican candidate Donald Trump was openly with Israel. Overall, the latest developments will impact America as well.
If Iran and Hamas do not remain calm, it will have a direct impact on the entire Middle East. Yemen’s Houthis including Qatar and Türkiye have already given aggressive statements on the murder. Top players like UAE and Saudi Arabia may be quiet, but it cannot be denied that some movement is happening inside.
What could be the impact on India?
The country has not yet given any reaction on this matter. But if the war escalates, the matter may become serious. About 90 lakh Indians are living in the Middle East for work. In such a situation, instability there means direct involvement of India.
Apart from this, two-thirds of our crude oil supply continued to come from these areas. Although the oil import strategy was changed some time ago, in which India is buying more oil from Russia, but there is still dependence on the Middle East. If war starts, oil supply will also be affected. Even if India can keep trade matters separate from diplomatic matters, it may be difficult.