What to know about the escalating conflict and Israel-Hamas cease-fire talks after 2 assassinations

Associated Press

A pair of assassinations of anti-Israel militant leaders hours apart is threatening to set off a regional clash and upend already fragile talks toward ending the war in Gaza. The deadly round of hostilities escalated Wednesday when Hamas’ political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed hours after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president in Tehran. Israel has not claimed responsibility, but Iran threatened revenge against Israel. It was the second assassination in hours to be blamed on Israel. On Tuesday, the Israeli military said it had killed Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukur in an airstrike in a Beirut suburb. That followed a rocket attack Saturday in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights that killed 12 young people.