Nigeria: Iran vows vengeance as funeral held for slain security chief Ali Larijani
By Zuleihat Owuiye, Mamos Nigeria
Iran is set to hold a funeral for its security chief Ali Larijani, killed in an Israeli air strike, as it vows revenge. The country has launched a wave of missiles at Israel, killing two people near Tel Aviv, and targeting US bases in the region. The attacks come after Israel killed Larijani and another powerful figure, Gholamreza Soleimani, head of the Basij paramilitary force.
Iran’s army chief Amir Hatami warned that the response to Larijani’s assassination will be “decisive and regrettable”. The Revolutionary Guards have vowed further attacks, saying Larijani’s death will spur a “national awakening” against global arrogance.
The US has dropped 5,000-pound bombs on Iranian missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz, a crucial oil shipping route. Iran has closed the strait, driving up oil prices. US President Donald Trump has boasted that the US doesn’t need allies to escort tankers, while Iran’s foreign minister warned of global repercussions from the war.
Israel has vowed to target Iran’s new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, who hasn’t appeared publicly since succeeding his father. The conflict has drawn in Lebanon, with Israel striking Beirut, and the UAE, where an Iranian projectile hit near Australia’s military headquarters.
