Iran Reports Hamas Leader Assassinated at Close Range
Iran Reports Hamas Leader Assassinated at Close Range
Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a "short-range projectile" fired from outside his guesthouse in Tehran, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The paramilitary group stated that the projectile, weighing approximately 7kg (16lbs), caused a "strong blast," resulting in the deaths of Haniyeh and his bodyguard last Wednesday. Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital for the inauguration of President Massoud Pezeshkian.
The IRGC has accused Israel of orchestrating the operation with support from the United States. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh's death. This account contradicts Western media reports suggesting that Israeli operatives planted explosives in the guesthouse.
Haniyeh's death has embarrassed Iran and the IRGC, especially on a day of heightened security. Dozens of IRGC officers have been arrested or dismissed in the aftermath, according to the New York Times. The IRGC's intelligence agency has taken over the investigation, with staff at Haniyeh's guesthouse being interrogated and their electronics seized.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers for Haniyeh on Thursday but was quickly taken away by his security detail. The IRGC's statement followed a report by Britain's Daily Telegraph claiming that Haniyeh was killed by bombs planted in his room by Israeli Mossad agents. The New York Times also reported that explosives, potentially planted up to two months earlier, killed Haniyeh. These claims have not been verified by the BBC.
Hamas officials stated that Haniyeh had stayed at the guesthouse before and had visited Iran up to 15 times since becoming the head of the political bureau in 2017. If the reports are accurate, it would signify a significant failure for the IRGC, highlighting Mossad's ability to operate in Iran.
Both Iran and Hamas have vowed retaliation. The IRGC promised Israel "severe punishment at the appropriate time, place, and manner." Hezbollah has also vowed reprisals after one of their top commanders, Fuad Shukr, was killed in an Israeli strike last Tuesday.
Following an Israeli operation that killed IRGC Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi in Damascus earlier this year, Iran launched 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and at least 110 ballistic missiles toward Israel.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Israelis of "challenging days ahead," and ministers were given satellite phones in case of attacks on communication infrastructure. Despite the warnings, the mood remained relaxed on Tel Aviv's seafront, though many acknowledge the Middle East is on the brink of full-scale war. Israel is on high alert, and several international airlines have suspended flights to the country. The US has deployed additional warships and fighter jets to the region to defend Israel from potential Iranian and proxy attacks.
UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy cautioned that the situation could rapidly deteriorate. At least 10 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school in Gaza's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, and another airstrike in the occupied West Bank killed a Hamas commander and four senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters.
Israeli officials, including Mossad and Shin Bet directors, have arrived in Cairo for ceasefire talks with Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel. However, US President Joe Biden admitted that Haniyeh's death has complicated these efforts. The conflict, which began in October following an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel, has resulted in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and more than 39,550 Palestinian deaths in Gaza, according to the Hamas-run health ministry.
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