The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has prohibited soldiers, including reservists, from traveling to Georgia and Azerbaijan, and has called on those currently in these countries to return to Israel immediately. Based on media reports, the directive was issued by the IDF on August 11. The Georgian government has not yet responded to this issue.
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As The Times of Israel reports, the directive was issued amid concerns that Iran might target those countries in retaliation for the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. According to the publication, the IDF only stated that Israel constantly assesses threats and accordingly updates the list of countries where military personnel are permitted to travel.
On the night of July 31, the head of Hamas's Politburo, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in Tehran, the capital of Iran. According to media reports, he was killed in a bomb explosion at his home. The Israeli government has not officially taken responsibility for the incident, although Iran is threatening retaliation. On Friday, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that it was considering striking targets outside Israel, according to media reports.
Ismail Haniyeh had come to Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Fezeshkian. The event, which took place on July 30, was also attended by the Prime Minister of Georgia, Irakli Kobakhidze, who was seated near Haniyeh.
