Ismail Haniyeh Killed in Tehran

On Wednesday morning, August 10, Tasnim News Agency reported, citing the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), that Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, was killed in Tehran. Al-Arabiya, affiliated with Saudi Arabia, claimed that Haniyeh was killed by a direct missile strike in Tehran, although no official source has confirmed this claim yet. The IRGC stated that Haniyeh's residence was struck, resulting in the deaths of Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards. They indicated that the incident occurred early Wednesday morning at Haniyeh's residence in Tehran but did not provide further details about the nature or source of the strike. Following the incident, Hamas expressed condolences for the death of Haniyeh, attributing the assassination to Israel without providing evidence. Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian. Mousa Abu Marzouk, a senior Hamas member, called the killing a 'cowardly act' that would not go unanswered. The IRGC confirmed that Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed on August 10. The Israeli army declined to comment on Haniyeh's death in Tehran, stating it does not respond to foreign media reports. In a separate statement, Hamas claimed that Haniyeh was killed during an attack they allege was carried out by Israel after he attended the Iranian president's inauguration. Haniyeh, 60, was a senior leader of Hamas, having joined the organization in the late 1980s and risen through its ranks over the decades. He was appointed the new head of Hamas in 2017, succeeding Khaled Mashal. On August 9, he attended Pezeshkian's swearing-in ceremony and warmly embraced the new Iranian president before visiting Ali Khamenei, the Supreme Leader of Iran. Reports indicate that Haniyeh was targeted at 2 AM on Wednesday at his residence in Tehran. A Hamas official stated that Haniyeh's assassination would not serve Israel's goals, asserting that Hamas is strong enough to endure the loss of any of its leaders and is prepared to pay any price in its ongoing conflict with Israel.