Hamas Chief Ismail Haniyeh Assassinated in Tehran, Group Reports

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in what the group described as a “treacherous Zionist attack” on his residence in the Iranian capital. The assassination occurred on Tuesday morning, and an investigation is underway to uncover more details surrounding the incident.

Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. According to a statement from Hamas, “Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, was martyred in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he attended the swearing-in of the new Iranian president.”

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the attack, stating that Haniyeh’s residence in Tehran was struck, resulting in his death along with one of his bodyguards.

The assassination marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri condemned the killing, stating, “This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas.”

Israeli Minister Amichay Eliyahu responded to the news with a post on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), declaring, “This is the right way to clean the world from this filth.”

Israel had previously vowed to eliminate Haniyeh and dismantle Hamas following the deadly October 7 attack, which resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians.

Haniyeh, who was elected head of the Hamas political bureau in 2017, had been living in exile, frequently traveling between Turkey, Qatar, and Iran for diplomatic missions. He was known for maintaining relations with various Palestinian factions, including those outside of Hamas.

Hamas, a key member of the “axis of resistance” against Israel, has vowed to respond to Haniyeh’s assassination, further heightening tensions in the region. Iran, a staunch supporter of the Palestinian cause since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, continues to back Hamas in its struggle against Israel.