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Iran said Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Palestinian extremist group Hamas, was killed in a strike in Tehran on July 31, which it blamed on Israel.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it was investigating the attack on Haniyeh, 62, who was in Tehran to attend the July 30 inauguration of Iran’s new president, Massoud Pezeshkian.
Quick Analysis: Ismail Haniyeh’s Death
The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in an upscale northern Tehran neighborhood — just hours after the targeted killing of a top Lebanese Hezbollah commander in Beirut — is a major humiliation for the Islamic Republic and its security services. As recently as July 30, the Hamas leader met with Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. He was then given a hero’s welcome in parliament at the inauguration of new President Massoud Pezeshkian, who was also attended by representatives of other Iranian proxy groups in the region.
Haniyeh’s assassination also effectively eliminated the possibility of Hamas and Israel reaching a hostage deal in the near future, thereby prolonging the Gaza war and greatly increasing the risk of a wider conflict in the region.
Khamenei responded quickly, promising “severe punishment” for Israel and saying revenge was the Islamic Republic’s “duty.” Khamenei last used such language in April, when the Revolutionary Guards launched hundreds of drones and missiles at Israel after the assassination of a top Iranian general at the Iranian consulate in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
A military response from Tehran seems certain at this stage, but the challenge for Khamenei and Iran’s proxies is how to adjust to avoid an all-out war, which the Islamic Republic does not want at this point.”
—Kambiz Fattahi, Director of RFE/RL Radio Farda
It did not reveal any details of how the attack was carried out.
Iran-backed Hamas is designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union.
Hamas confirmed the news in a post on its Telegram channel on July 31, saying Haniyeh was killed in an “airstrike on his residence in Tehran.”
The Israeli government has yet to comment officially, but an article in the government press office said Facebook Page The post showed a picture of Haniyeh with a stamp on his forehead that read: “Eliminate.” The post did not explicitly claim the attack was carried out by Israel, but noted that the Hamas official “was killed in a precision strike in Tehran.”
Less than 24 hours after taking office, Pezeshkian In a statement Iran “will defend its territorial integrity” after the attack, although he did not reveal specific measures.
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also vowed to retaliate against Israel for the killing.
The attack came on the same day that the United States launched strikes on Iraq, amid growing concerns about the possibility of an all-out war in the Middle East.
The United States claimed the attack on an Iraqi Popular Mobilization Forces base south of Baghdad was in self-defense, saying it killed four members of the group, which includes several armed militias allied with Iran, and wounded four others.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas immediately condemned the killing of Haniyeh, calling it a “cowardly act and a dangerous development,” according to Palestinian state news agency WAFA.
Several countries condemned the attack, with Russia calling it an “unacceptable political assassination” and Turkey warning it would prolong the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Haniyeh’s killing comes as Washington is trying to broker a temporary ceasefire between Hamas and Israel and a deal to release hostages held in Gaza. Senior officials from the United States, Israel, Qatar and Egypt are in the latest round of talks to reach a deal.
Asked about the attack that killed Haniyeh, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters during a visit to the Philippines, “I don’t have any additional information to provide.”
Earlier on July 30, Israel claimed to have “eliminated” Hezbollah militant commander Fuad Shukr, who Israel accused of being behind a rocket attack in Beirut over the weekend that killed 12 Israeli youths.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement postal On the X social media network, Shukur “directed” Hezbollah’s attacks.
There was no immediate response from Hezbollah.
Shukor is wanted by U.S. authorities for his alleged role in the 1983 attack on U.S. troops in Beirut. Up to $5 million has been offered Learn about Shukr, also known as al-Hajj Mohsin, who is on the US terrorist list.
Hezbollah, which rarely shies away from claiming attacks on Israeli targets, denied responsibility for the July 27 attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, but Israel has vowed to retaliate against the Iran-backed group.
Israel has vowed to kill Hamas leaders after the group launched attacks inside Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people. About 250 others were taken hostage, some of whom have now been released.
Several hostages have died in Gaza as Israel launched a massive military operation it says is aimed at eliminating Hamas. Some are believed to still be alive.
“The assassination of Hamas leaders will make negotiations and de-escalation more difficult. Things will become more violent and the situation will deteriorate, not improve,” said Areepen Uttarasin, a Thai politician who has been involved in negotiations to free hostages held by Hamas in Gaza.
Haniyeh has been a member of Hamas for decades and became its political leader in 2017. He lived in the Gaza Strip until 2019, when he went into exile in Qatar.
During the Gaza war with Israel, he traveled around the Middle East, participating in international negotiations on the conflict, including the release of hostages still held by Hamas, becoming one of the group’s most high-profile leaders.
Additional reporting by Reuters
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