Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said Sunday that the assassination of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was a blatant violation of the United Nations Charter, and warned that Israel would receive a response for its act at the appropriate time.
IRGC spokesman Ali Mohammad Naeini made the remarks at a ceremony marking National Journalists' Day in the central province of Qom on Sunday.
Haniyeh, the Hamas politburo chief, was assassinated in an Israeli operation in the Iranian capital Tehran on July 31, hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran's newly-elected President Masoud Pezeshkian.
As speculation about the timing of the Iranian response mounts, Iran's official news agency said Sunday that the IRGC is holding a series of military drills in western parts of the country that will continue until Tuesday.
According to Israeli media reports on Monday, the latest Israeli intelligence indicates that Iran intends to launch a large-scale attack sometime this week, possibly before Thursday.
Meanwhile, tensions also remain high in Lebanon following Israel's July 30 attack on a southern suburb of Beirut, which killed senior Hezbollah military commander Fouad Shokor and seven others. Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah has vowed a decisive and painful response.
After Israeli strikes killed two more Hezbollah members in southern Lebanon on Sunday, Hezbollah responded by firing several Katyusha rockets at a military base in northern Israel on Monday morning.
Israeli forces struck the source areas of the latest rocket attack in Lebanon, according to Israeli media.
Soaring tensions in the region has prompted military moves from the United States, as the country's defense department has ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier strike group to sail more quickly to the Middle East and has sent the USS Georgia nuclear submarine to the region.
IRGC vows response to Israeli assassination of Haniyeh as speculation mounts
Residents at a temporary shelter in South Korea are coming to terms with the shock of losing their homes in the worst wildfires in the country's history, with the deadly blazes which have been burning since late last month forcing tens of thousands of people to be evacuated.
The devastating fires -- which first erupted back on March 21 -- have claimed the lives of at least 30 people and injured dozens of others, while more than 3,500 houses and 30 national heritage sites have been damaged.
The flames have so far spread across more than 48,000 hectares of land, according to the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters.
Shell-shocked local people have been sharing the horrifying stories of how they became overwhelmed by the fast-spreading flames and had to rush from their homes.
Jo Soo-gap, a resident of the Yeongdeok County in the severely affected North Gyeongsang Province, told the China Global Television Network (CGTN) of the moment the flames approached.
"We didn't think it would come all the way to our area. That evening, while we were at home, the wind picked up. It felt stronger than a typhoon. I thought it was getting dangerous, so l was preparing to leave with my wife. Then suddenly a neighbor shouted, 'The fire's coming! Get out now!' So we just got in the car and drove toward Pohang,” he recalled.
"When we finally returned at dawn, we found our house had completely burned down and collapsed. Other homes, even if they were mostly destroyed, still had some parts of the frame left. But ours was a two-story villa-style home, and it had completely caved in – flattened right down to its foundation. There was nothing for us left to retrieve,” lamented Jo.
He expressed the hope that the government would help him and his family, as well as the many others affected, to rebuild their homes, while issuing a clear warning to others about the dangers posed by wildfires.
"We hope recovery efforts can proceed quickly, and that the government or local authorities can provide permanent housing so we can rebuild our lives. Fire prevention is no small matter, people should never carry any flammable objects when going into the mountains or fields. I want to emphasize this very clearly," he said.
Meanwhile, Kim Woo-seok, chairman of the Pohang Medical Association, explained how medics are handling the various problems brought by the wildfires, with a particular focus being placed on the welfare of those suffering from chronic diseases.
"The most pressing concern for us is people with chronic illnesses, such as those with high blood pressure or diabetes who need to constantly take their medication. Some patients did not have time to grab their medicines during the evacuation, and the drug withdrawal can cause sudden spikes in their blood pressure or blood sugar levels. So it's crucial that we monitor and stabilize their conditions as quickly as possible,” he said.
Kim stressed that the psychological trauma brought by the wildfires is the most pressing issue, as people slowly come to terms with the significant losses they have suffered.
"However, the biggest emotional shock comes from losing one's home or seeing a loved one fall ill. Those situations can cause severe emotional trauma. People can develop symptoms like panic attacks or depression as a result. These issues require proper counseling and treatment, as the emotional stress can also cause physical symptoms, such as back pain or joint pain. Those are the common cases we see," he said.
Shell-shocked South Korean evacuees lament loss of homes in deadly wildfires
