Fears that Israel's conflict in Gaza will spread throughout the Middle East grew Wednesday as twin explosions ripped through an Iranian gathering, killing at least 103 people after a strike in Lebanon killed Hamas's deputy commander.
More than 200 people were injured when the explosives attacked mourners remembering deceased Revolutionary Guards general Qasem Soleimani on the fourth anniversary of his death in a US drone strike, according to Iran's official television.
According to AFP archives, no organization claimed responsibility for the explosives, which were the country's bloodiest attack since a 1978 arson that killed at least 377 people.
The explosives were described as a "terrorist attack" by Irani TV. They came while regional tensions were already high following the Beirut strike that killed Hamas's number two, Saleh al-Arouri.
According to a US official, Arouri was killed by "an Israeli strike" on Wednesday, making him the most high-profile individual killed during Israel's almost three-month conflict with Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Following the unconfirmed Beirut attack on Tuesday, Israeli army spokesperson Daniel Hagari stated that the IDF was "highly prepared for any scenario." He made no direct remark on Arouri's death, which Hamas said will be buried on Thursday in Beirut's Shatila Palestinian refugee camp.
Following the killing of Arouri, Germany urged its citizens to leave Lebanon immediately, stating that "further deterioration of the situation and expansion of the conflict cannot be ruled out."