Hamas Leader Haniyeh Assassinated in Tehran, Iran
Iran State Television reports the top leader of the Hamas terror group, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated Wednesday morning in Tehran.
The announcement came from Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Hamas in Gaza said Israel is behind the killing, calling it “a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.” Haniyeh’s guard was also reported to be dead.
Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in Tuesday of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. Haniyeh had also met with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
The Iran Revolutionary Guard Corps did not immediately blame the killing on Israel as Hamas did. It issued a statement saying, “We are investigating the scope of the elimination of Haniyeh in Tehran and will announce the results of the investigation later.”
The killing came just hours after Israeli jets struck a building in Beirut, killing Hezbollah’s second-in-command, Fuad Shukr. He was the top aide to Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.
Israel’s silence about the Haniyeh killing contrasts with the targeting of Shukr in Lebanon. After that raid, IDF Chief Spokesman Daniel Hagari stated, “We eliminated the most senior commander in Hezbollah, Nasrallah’s right-hand man. We will not allow harm to civilians, and Hezbollah activity near the border. We do not seek a war, but we are well prepared for it. Hezbollah is dragging Lebanon into escalation.”
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