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Within the last day, leaders of both Hamas and Hezbollah were killed in apparent assassinations by Israel. Iran backs both Hamas and Hezbollah. And now, many groups are vowing revenge.

Venezuelans continue to protest Sunday's disputed election in which President Nicolas Maduro claimed victory. The opposition says it has evidence that their candidate won. And in China, an informal social media poll favors one candidate for the US presidency.

In the Middle East, two assassinations in less than 24 hours could transform the region. Israel claimed responsibility for one. It has no comment on the other.

First, an Israeli attack in Lebanon killed a leader of the militant group Hezbollah. Just hours later, the political leader of Hamas was killed in Iran.

The Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was attending the swearing-in for Iran's new reformist president. Hamas says Haniyeh was killed by a rocket fired into his room at an official residency. Hamas and Iran both blame Israel for the attack.

When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke after the two killings, he did not claim responsibility for the attack in Tehran. He did describe the Israeli strike in Beirut as a crushing blow.

In Washington, White House spokesman John Kirby expressed concern the assassinations could result in an escalation of the conflicts already playing out.

Two assassinations in the Middle East have the potential to start a violent chain of retaliations. Will they?

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British police are reviewing allegations that Washington Post CEO Will Lewis obstructed justice when he worked for media mogul Rupert Murdoch in the U.K. 13 years ago.

Hamas says its top leader was killed in Iran. Presidential campaigns swing through the South. Arizona choses Kari Lake as the GOP nominee for Senate race that could determine chamber's control.

A lot of major news stories happened this week. We review some of them.

Ismail Haniyeh, who was the Palestinian group’s political leader, was in the Iranian capital for the inauguration of Iran’s new president. Hamas blamed his assassination on Israel.

Former President Donald Trump thumps Vice President Harris in name recognition and cache, but analysts say Beijing sees both as bad news.

NPR's Steve Inskeep talks to Trita Parsi, executive vice president of the Quincy Institute for Responsible Statecraft, about the ramifications of the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.