Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a suspected Israeli airstrike on his residence in Tehran.
Haniyeh was assassinated shortly after attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president and meeting with Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
His death has heightened concerns about the potential escalation of regional tensions into a broader conflict.
Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran early Wednesday morning, according to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The IRGC reported that Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed when their residence in the Iranian capital was hit in an attack.
The IRGC’s statement indicated that the attack is under investigation, with further details expected to be released later in the day. The IRGC expressed condolences to the Palestinian nation, the Muslim Ummah, resistance fighters, and the Iranian people, mourning the loss of Haniyeh, whom they described as a heroic figure.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. According to the IRGC, the attack occurred shortly after he participated in the swearing-in ceremony and met with Iran’s Supreme Leader. Hamas has accused Zionists of orchestrating the attack and declared Haniyeh’s death a significant loss for the Palestinian and broader Arab and Islamic communities.
In response, the Islamic Resistance Movement of Hamas issued a statement mourning Haniyeh’s death, referring to it as martyrdom and condemning the attack as a treacherous act. The group expressed sorrow for the loss of Haniyeh and his bodyguard, describing them as martyrs who were targeted by what they termed the “treacherous” actions of Zionists.
Israeli Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu reacted to the news with controversial remarks. On his X account, he stated, “This is the right way to clean the world from this filth. No more imaginary ‘peace’/surrender agreements, no more mercy for these mortals.” He further claimed, “The iron hand that will strike them is the one that will bring peace and a little comfort and strengthen our ability to live in peace with those who desire peace. Haniyeh’s death makes the world a little better.”
Meanwhile, Mousa Abu Marzook, a senior member of Hamas’s Political Bureau, has vowed to avenge the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Palestinian Resistance movement’s political bureau. Marzook condemned the assassination, describing it as a cowardly act and pledging that it will not go unanswered. According to a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were martyred in an attack on their residence in Tehran. The IRGC’s statement expressed condolences to the Palestinian people, the wider Islamic community, and the Iranian nation, noting that investigations into the attack are ongoing.
