Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in Iran, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard said in a statement. Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were attacked in Haniyeh’s home, the statement said. The bodyguard also did not survive the attack. Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.
The 62-year-old Haniyeh was a Palestinian politician widely regarded as the top political leader of Hamas, which has ruled the Gaza Strip since 2007.
Hamas
Hamas said in a statement that it mourned the death of Haniyeh, who the group said was killed in “a treacherous Zionist attack on his home in Tehran.” Hamas spokesman Sami Abu Zuhri described Haniyeh’s killing as a “serious escalation that will not achieve its goals.” He also said that Hamas “will wage open war to liberate Jerusalem” and that the group “is prepared to pay a heavy price” for this.
In a standard response, the Israeli military said it could not comment on foreign media reports. The Israeli government has yet to issue an official statement on the attack. However, Israeli Heritage Minister Amichay Eliyahu has already weighed in. He wrote on X that Haniyeh’s death “makes the world a little better.”
Iran’s revenge?
Hezbollah said in a statement that Haniyeh’s death led to “more determined resistance” against Israel. The Lebanese movement also offered its condolences to Hamas. Hezbollah did not directly blame Israel for the attack on Haniyeh in the statement. Hezbollah supports Hamas in the war with Israel by regularly attacking Israeli positions. Both groups are backed by Iran.
Iran vows to take revenge on Israel. Iran will “defend its territorial integrity, dignity, honor and pride, and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly act of assassinating Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran,” Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said in a statement. He described Haniyeh as a “courageous leader.”
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By: Editorial Staff
