In the Middle East, two assassinations in less than 24 hours could transform the region.

Israel claimed responsibility for one, it has no comment on the other.

First, an Israeli attack in Lebanon killed a leader of the militant group

Hezbollah. Just hours later, the political leader of Hamas was killed in Iran. The Hamas leader

Isma O'Haniya was attending the swearing in for Iran's new reformist president.

At the ceremony in Tehran, lawmakers and the conservative parliament broke into chance of death to America, death to Israel.

Hamas says Hania was killed by a rocket fired into his room at an official residency.

Hamas and Iran both blame Israel for the attack. When Israeli Prime Minister

Benjamin Netanyahu spoke after the two killings, he did not claim responsibility

for the attack in Tehran.

He did describe the Israeli strike in Beirut as a crushing blow. If you may be you may be whole level

and I know what I'll have

if it is Israel that was behind this

then within the span of 12 hours they have targeted both Hezbollah Hamas and Iran at the same time.

Treedaparsi is Executive Vice President of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, a U.S-based think tank focused on foreign policy.

It's very difficult to see that as something that is not designed to escalate the situation further.

We know that from the exchange of fire between Iran and Israel back. the

situation further. We know that from the exchange of fire between Iran and Israel back in April, the Israelis wanted to go much further,

but it was the Biden administration that restrained Israel

and made sure that it absorbed the blows that Iran gave it in retaliation.

In Washington, White House spokesman John Kirby expressed the fears that many people

around the world are feeling.

...