Hamas political chief buried in Qatar as Iran vows retaliation: Live updates | CNN

Funeral prayers were held for Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh before he was buried Friday in Doha, Qatar. He was killed in an overnight strike in Tehran earlier this week.

He is the third high-profile figure in Iran-backed militant groups in the Middle East to be killed in recent weeks, raising fears that Israel’s war with the Palestinian militant group in Gaza could spiral into a fully-fledged Middle East conflict.

Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said Wednesday it was Iran’s “duty” to avenge Haniyeh’s death, an assassination that Iran blamed on Israel. According to the New York Times, which cited information provided by three Iranian officials, Khamenei issued an order for Iran to “strike Israel directly” following the killing. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied a role in Haniyeh’s death.

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Hamas called for the “day of rage” to coincide with Haniyeh’s burial: “We call for prayers today, Friday, for the soul of the Mujahid leader Ismail Haniyeh, in all mosques in the world. ⁠Let Friday be a day of overwhelming anger in condemnation of the assassination and rejection of the genocide in the Gaza Strip,” a statement from the Palestinian militant group said.

Israelis brace for attacks amid tensions: Israelis have been provided with guidance on what to do in the event of attacks on the country, while supermarkets are reporting a spike in sales for basic goods. The Jerusalem municipality distributed a file with a list of parking lots that will be used as shelters and a list of bomb shelters. It said residents must be able to reach bomb shelters in 90 seconds. Residents are also advised to stock enough water and food for three days and to buy batteries and flashlights in addition to medications.

US response to Iran: The United States is ready to move resources to the Middle East if needed, White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said. Noting Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei’s statement about avenging Haniyeh’s death, Kirby said the US has to “make sure we’ve got the right resources and capabilities in the region.” Kirby said Friday that that support would likely come in the form of both personnel and hardware in the region.

Flight disruptions: There have been disruptions to flights in and out of Israel. Air India is the international carrier to suspend services to Tel Aviv. Other carriers that have suspended flights, including Italian flag carrier ITA Airways and American carriers United and Delta. Germany’s Lufthansa Group extended flight suspensions to Lebanon’s capital Beirut until at least Monday.

Israel forces detain an Imam of Al-Aqsa Mosque: Sheikh Ikrima Sabri was detained at his house in East Jerusalem for interrogation. This happened hours after Sabri briefly made a prayer during Friday’s sermon that God accept Haniyeh as a “martyr” and announced an absentee funeral prayer for him and others who have been killed will be held after the sermon, which did not involve any calls for violence. The word “martyr” has been frequently used to refer to Palestinians killed by Israeli forces and was used in the same sermon in reference to killed Palestinians. Sabri did not violate any laws and there’s no reason for his detention legally, his lawyer said, adding that this is “political persecution.”

Projectiles from southern Gaza: The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Friday that a projectile fired from southern Gaza fell in an open area near the Israeli town of Kiryat Malakhi, about 30 kilometers (18 miles) north of the enclave. There are no reports of casualties or damage. The launch of rockets from Gaza has become less frequent in recent months, and very few have traveled such a great distance. IDF also said Hezbollah on Friday tried to launch rockets toward Arab al-Aramashe, an Israeli village close to the Lebanese border, but that the rockets did not cross into Israel.