Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Assassinated in Tehran

Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran, according to a statement from the militant group. Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed when their residence in the Iranian capital was struck. The attack reportedly occurred while Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian. Hamas has accused Israel of carrying out the assassination, although Israel has not yet responded to the claims.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the assassination, stating that Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed early in the morning. The IRGC noted that the cause of the attack is still under investigation and further details will be provided soon.

Haniyeh, who was a prominent leader in the Palestinian resistance movement and managed Hamas’s political operations from exile in Qatar and Turkey, was a key figure in the group. His death is a significant blow to Hamas, whose remaining high-ranking members include Yahya Sinwar and Mohammed Deif. Sinwar, partially blamed for the deadly October 7 raid, has gone underground, while Deif, the leader of Hamas’s military wing, remains one of Israel’s most wanted.

Hamas has condemned the assassination as a “severe escalation” and has vowed retaliation. Senior Hamas official Musa Abu Marzuk warned that Haniyeh’s death “will not go unanswered,” while Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas called the act a “cowardly escalation” and urged for Palestinian unity against Israel.

The Israeli military has declined to comment on the incident, and the White House has yet to respond. This development follows Israel’s recent claim of killing a Hezbollah commander, potentially complicating efforts for a ceasefire agreement in Gaza.