Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh has been assassinated in the Iranian capital Tehran, a killing that could further destabilize the Middle East and jeopardize talks between Israel and Hamas.
Around 2 a.m. local time, Haniyeh was hit by an “air-launched guided missile,” Iran’s state-run IRNA reported. Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s president and was staying at a veterans’ residence, the state-run Fars news outlet reported.
Hamas accused Israel of carrying out the strike, calling it a “serious escalation.” A Hamas official said the group was “ready to pay a significant price” and that “the moment of truth has arrived.”
The Israeli military said it “does not respond to foreign media reports.”
An investigation into the killing is underway and the results will be announced today, Iranian state media reported, citing a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the elite wing of the Iranian military.
Ismail Haniyeh had been associated with Hamas for decades, overseeing the militant group’s political operations from exile in recent years and becoming one of its most visible leaders during the war with Israel in Gaza. He was a key interlocutor for international mediators in the hostage negotiations and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
His killing was a major blow to the Palestinian militant group – and comes at a sensitive time in the Middle East, as the escalating standoff between Israel and Hezbollah threatens to escalate into a regional war. It also raises questions about the future of Israel-Hamas talks.
Haniyeh’s killing came just hours after Israel said it had killed Hezbollah’s top military official, Fuad Shukr, in a drone strike in Beirut, Lebanon. The Iran-backed group did not confirm Shukr's death but said he was "present" during the strike.
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