Iran`s Khamenei orders `direct` attack on Israel

Iran's supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has ordered a "direct attack" on Israel in retaliation for the killing of top Hamas's leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran, The New York Times reported, while citing three Iranian officials.

Shortly after announcing the death of Haniyeh, Iran called out an emergency meeting of the country's Supreme National Security Council on Wednesday morning. According to the officials, Khamenei gave orders of attack during the meeting. Such a meeting only occurs during extraordinary circumstances, reports indiatoday.

Earlier in April, a similar meeting was called after an Israeli airstrike in Syria killed two top Iranian military commanders.

Meanwhile, Israel's Channel 12 reported that messages have been sent to Iran through diplomatic backchannels that Israel is willing to go to a full-scale war if Iran and its proxies conduct any attack against the country._Agencies.