Iran's retaliation against Israel may take time: Revolutionary Guards

There could be a long wait for Iranian retaliation against Israel, Iran's Revolutionary Guards spokesperson Ali Mohammad Naini said on Tuesday, according to state media.

The Middle East has been bracing for Iran's avowed retaliation over the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran on July 31. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it was behind the killing.

"Time is in our favour and the waiting period for this response could be long," Naini said, referring to retaliation against Israel, and reiterating that "the enemy" should wait for a calculated and accurate response.

Iranian leaders are weighing all circumstances and the Islamic Republic's response might not be a repeat of previous operations, he added, according to Iranian state media.

Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of carrying out the strike that killed Haniyeh hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran's new president Masoud Pezeshkian.