Putin calls for ‘restrained’ response from Iran as Hamas appoints new political chief: Live updates

Vladimir Putin has told Iran to be “restrained” in its retaliation against Israel , following the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran .

The Russian president advised against attacks on Israeli civilians, two senior Iranian sources told Reuters. The Russian leader’s message comes as the Middle East anxiously awaits Iran’s response to the Hamas leader’s killing which it has blamed on Israel.

On Tuesday, Hamas announced Yahya Sinwar, who heads the Gaza region and masterminded the October 7 attacks, as Haniyeh’s successor.

Elsewhere, reports claimed that Iranian-backed Lebanese militants, Hezbollah , had launched a fresh swarm of attack drones and missile strikes at Israeli military targets. However, Hezbollah told Reuters that its response to the Israeli assassination of another Hamas leader, commander Fuad Shukr, in Beirut last week “has not yet come”.

US President Joe Biden spoke with the leaders of both Egypt and Qatar on Tuesday, in which they discussed the nations’ combined efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, including through an immediate ceasefire and hostage release deal.

It comes after Biden held “round-the-clock” crisis talks on Monday in an attempt to avert all-out-regional war in the Middle East.