Iran is holding a military drill in the north of the country, Mehr news agency reported on Tuesday, with the region bracing for Tehran’s avowed retaliation against Israel over the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran last month.

The drill was taking place on Tuesday evening from 7:30pm to 8:30pm local time (1600 to 1700 GMT) in Iran’s Gilan province on the Caspian Sea. It was designed to boost the defensive readiness of the army’s naval forces, Mehr cited a local official as saying.

It is Iran’s second reported military drill in three days. Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel after the assassination of Haniyeh on July 31 in Tehran. Iran blamed Israel for the killing. Israel has not claimed responsibility. The killing has triggered threats of revenge by Iran against Israel.

Palestinians killed

Israeli forces killed about 100 Palestinian militants in the southern Gaza city of Rafah over the past few days, Israel’s military said in a statement on Tuesday. It said soldiers operating in the Shabura district “located an armed terrorist cell and, with a precise strike, eliminated the terrorists”.

Hamas rockets

Hamas’ armed al-Qassam Brigades said on Tuesday it targeted Tel Aviv and its suburbs with two “M90” rockets.

Explosions were heard in Tel Aviv but there were no reports of casualties.

Hamas is sticking to its demand that Gaza truce talks focus on a deal already discussed with Israel and the mediators.