BEIRUT: Lebanon's Hezbollah group condemned Israel's killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Wednesday, warning his death will only increase the resolve of Iran-backed "resistance" groups.
Hamas said Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli strike in the Iranian capital, where he was attending the swearing-in of the country's new president, and vowed the act "will not go unanswered".
"The martyrdom of leader Haniyeh... will increase the determination and stubbornness of the mujahideen resistance fighters on all resistance fronts... and will make their resolve stronger in confronting the Zionist enemy," Hezbollah said in a statement.
The group described Haniyeh as "one of the great resistance leaders of our time who stood bravely against the American hegemony project and the Zionist occupation."
Hezbollah has been trading near-daily cross-border fire with Israel since its ally Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, triggering war in Gaza.
Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has met Hamas leaders several times to discuss the war and US-backed negotiations for a truce.