Exclusive; Richard Goldberg: Haniyeh was killed in Iran because Israel does not target anyone in Qatar according to an 'unwritten agreement'

Richard Goldberg, a senior advisor at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, commented on the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, stating that since he was targeted 'on Iranian soil', the question is whether the Islamic Republic will consider this an 'infringement of sovereignty' and respond directly, or 'delegate it to its proxy forces.' In an interview with Voice of America on Wednesday, August 1, Goldberg said the answer to this question is still unclear, but based on 'an unwritten rule', Israel will not target anyone 'on Qatari soil'; Haniyeh was 'in Iran when they decided to target him.' Goldberg noted that Israeli forces had 'opportunities to do this' previously, adding that they may have assumed they might need Haniyeh for 'hostage negotiations' in Gaza, but ten months after the October 7 attack by the Hamas militia on Israeli territory, 'there is still no agreement.' He emphasized that Haniyeh and other individuals based in Doha either have 'no influence over Yahya Sinwar' and Hamas officials in Gaza or 'have influence and are obstructing the negotiation process,' stating: 'Whatever the case, they are no longer useful,' and therefore if Israel wants to take revenge for the October 7 attack on its territory, it must hold these individuals accountable and send a message to the rest of Hamas leadership, both in Doha and Gaza, that everyone at this stage can be a target to potentially change the dynamics of negotiations and regain leverage. Goldberg pointed out that it is unclear whether the Islamic Republic of Iran will re-enter the battlefield directly or not, mentioning various militia groups including Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and militia forces in Iraq and Syria, suggesting that 'we may witness the activation of one or all of these forces against Israel.' The senior advisor emphasized that 'security cooperation in defense of Israel is very strong,' referencing recent statements by Lloyd Austin, who announced that the United States is prepared to assist in defending Israel against any further escalation from the Islamic Republic of Iran or its proxy forces. Goldberg also highlighted the capabilities of the U.S. Navy to intercept ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and drones, stressing the 'very strong' intelligence cooperation between the U.S. and Israel, stating that despite disagreements regarding the ongoing conflict in Gaza, 'within the military structures in the intelligence community, this cooperation is greater than ever.' The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced early Wednesday, August 1, that Ismail Haniyeh was targeted and killed at his residence in Tehran along with one of his guards, but did not provide further details on how this occurred. Following this, the Iranian Foreign Ministry claimed that the United States bears responsibility for Haniyeh's death in Tehran due to its support for Israel, and Ali Khamenei, the leader of the Islamic Republic, promised 'severe vengeance' in his first comments regarding Haniyeh's killing in Tehran. This incident has also prompted widespread international reactions. Stéphane Dujarric, spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, stated that António Guterres believes the attacks in Beirut and Tehran signify a 'dangerous escalation' in the conflict in the Middle East and called on everyone to work hard to reduce regional tensions towards long-term peace and stability for all. On the other hand, U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States was 'unaware of and not involved in' the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas. Additionally, Lindsey Graham remarked that Hezbollah and the Islamic Republic are one and the same, asserting that Israel has the right to target the masterminds of terrorism anywhere and anytime. Prince Reza Pahlavi stated that Ismail Haniyeh was a 'super-terrorist' who should never have set foot on Iranian soil. The reactions to Haniyeh's killing in Tehran continue, with claims that he was an 'international terrorist' who came to the 'party of terrorists.' Norman Roule commented that the IRGC, which was responsible for Haniyeh's protection, has been humiliated. Netanyahu did not mention Haniyeh, confirming Israel's role in the killing of the Hezbollah commander. The director of policy at the United Against a Nuclear Iran stated that Tehran does not want to engage in direct war with Israel and the U.S.