A chain reaction has been sparked by the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, with authorities in several countries on alert for a possible strike on Israeli targets in retaliation.

In Greece, both the National Intelligence Service (NIS) and the Anti-Terrorism Department are on alert as, according to estimates, an attempt to hit an Israeli target not on Israeli soil but in a third country is likely.

This is of course at the level of alert and prevention as there is no information about a specific strike or target located in Greece so far.

However, after the assassination of the Hamas leader, the possibility of a generalized conflict between Israel and Hamas in the Middle East has caused a global alarm, as Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has spoken of retaliation.

Specifically, Mr. Khamenei ordered Iran to strike Israel directly after the assassination in Tehran of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to three Iranian officials briefed on the order, according to the New York Times.

In these circumstances, UN Secretary General Anthony Guterres argued on Wednesday (31/7) that the attacks on Beirut and Tehran “represent a dangerous escalation” in the region. Guterres also observed that the international community must work together to use diplomacy to de-escalate and try to prevent “any actions that could push the entire Middle East to the brink,” a possibility that is of grave concern to the international community.