Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Killed in Tehran Missile Strike

Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Killed in Tehran Missile Strike

Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent leader of Hamas, was assassinated early Wednesday morning in Tehran, according to the Palestinian group. Hamas described the strike as a “severe escalation” that would not accomplish its intended goals.

The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed Haniyeh’s death, which occurred shortly after he attended the swearing-in ceremony for Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. The IRGC is currently investigating the incident.

Pezeshkian vowed that Iran would “defend its territorial integrity, dignity, honor, and pride” in response to the attack.

This assassination follows a similar high-profile incident in Beirut, where Hezbollah’s top military leader was killed in an airstrike. There has been no immediate reaction from Israeli authorities regarding the Tehran strike.

Israel had previously vowed to target Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders following the group’s devastating October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in 1,200 deaths and 251 hostages.

Haniyeh, who was based in Qatar and had been a key figure in Hamas’s international diplomacy, had his three sons killed in an Israeli airstrike earlier in the conflict. He is the highest-ranking Hamas official to be killed since the conflict began.

Iran’s state media reported that the assassination would strengthen the bond between Tehran, Palestine, and the resistance. Haniyeh had been in Tehran for the inauguration of President Pezeshkian and had met with top Iranian officials, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The assassination also follows the recent killing of Hezbollah leader Fuad Shukr in a strike attributed to Israel. The ongoing conflict and these targeted strikes reflect the heightened tensions in the region.