Widespread Arrests at the Site of Ismail Haniyeh's Death in Tehran

Days after the killing of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political bureau of the extremist group Hamas, reports and differing opinions about the circumstances of his death continue to emerge, with an American newspaper reporting the arrest of several individuals in Tehran. Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of Hamas, a group designated as terrorist by the US and the EU, had traveled to Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Masoud Pezeshkian as the new president of Iran. According to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), 'a projectile from the air' struck the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, resulting in his death and that of one of his bodyguards, a narrative that some sources have disputed in conversations with international media. Arrests in Tehran The New York Times reported on Saturday, August 13, citing two Iranian sources, that over 20 individuals, some of whom are high-ranking, have been arrested at the military guesthouse in Tehran where Ismail Haniyeh was killed. According to the newspaper, the arrested individuals include senior intelligence officers, military officials, and staff working at the guesthouse. Following the explosion early Wednesday, security forces stormed the residence, confiscating mobile phones and electronic devices from all staff and arresting several individuals. The New York Times also reported on the interrogation of several senior military and intelligence officials involved in the protection of Tehran, stating that the IRGC believes members of the Mossad team are still inside Iran. Concurrently, a Hamas official reiterated the Islamic Republic's account of Ismail Haniyeh's death by 'projectile' and more reports have emerged about his assassination via a bomb planted at his residence. According to a report published on Saturday, August 13, in the British newspaper Telegraph, two 'IRGC officials' claimed in an interview with the newspaper that 'Iranian individuals' hired by Mossad had planted the bomb in Ismail Haniyeh's room. The report claimed that the plan was initially intended to be executed in June this year during Haniyeh's visit to Tehran for the funeral of Ebrahim Raisi, but was likely halted due to the large number of people present. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of Hamas's political bureau, had made multiple trips to Iran in recent years and had traveled to Tehran last week to attend Masoud Pezeshkian's inauguration. The Telegraph reported, citing these two IRGC officials, that the individuals hired by Mossad had planted three bombs in various locations at Ismail Haniyeh's residence in Tehran and later activated one of these bombs from outside the country. The Telegraph did not name these 'two officials,' and Radio Farda cannot independently verify this report. Previously, some American media outlets, including The New York Times, Axios, Bloomberg, and CNN, had separately reported Ismail Haniyeh's death as a result of a bomb explosion at his residence. The Pentagon's order to relocate US equipment in the region and increase support for Israel However, media outlets close to the IRGC, including the Fars News Agency, immediately denied this issue, claiming that the motivation for its emergence in the media was to assist Israel and 'prevent subsequent repercussions.' Meanwhile, Khalid Qudumi, the representative of the extremist group Hamas in Tehran, reiterated the account provided by the Islamic Republic, stating that the building where Ismail Haniyeh and he were present was struck by an explosive projectile. This Hamas official, in an interview published on Friday on the Al-Araby Al-Jadeed website, described Ismail Haniyeh's daily schedule in Tehran, stating that a 'severe explosion' occurred at 1:37 AM on Wednesday. Khalid Qudumi also harshly criticized the comments made on Islamic Republic television, which suggested the possibility of spy software on Ismail Haniyeh's mobile phone, calling it 'surprising.' The Islamic Republic television announced on that Friday that the comments made on this media were 'personal opinions' and that official sources had not yet provided more information to the state television. Israeli officials have so far not officially confirmed or denied the country's involvement in Ismail Haniyeh's killing; however, Daniel Hagari, a spokesperson for the Israeli army, briefly stated that the army had not conducted any air, missile, or drone attacks in the Middle East on Tuesday night, except for an operation that led to the killing of Fouad Shukr in southern Beirut. Following the killing of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran and one of Hezbollah's senior commanders in southern Beirut, officials from the Islamic Republic and Hezbollah Lebanon have stated that they will take revenge on Israel.