In a fresh development adding to the perpetuating conflicts in the Middle-East, Ismail Haniyeh, the top leader of Islamist group Hamas that runs the Palestinian territory of Gaza, has been ‘assassinated’ in Iran's Tehran, a Hamas statement confirmed. Before the confirmation by Hamas, Iran's Revolutionary Guards informed about the ‘martyrdom’ of the top leader.
"With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and combatants of the Resistant Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning [Wednesday] the residence of Mr. Dr. Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred," the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps) statement read.
Blaming an Israeli airstrike for the death of Haniyeh, Hamas said he was killed “in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran" after he attended the swearing-in of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday, along with other Hamas officials and officials from Hezbollah and allied groups.
“Hamas declares to the great Palestinian people and the people of the Arab and Islamic nations and all the free people of the world, brother leader Ismail Ismail Haniyeh a martyr,” Hamas said in its statement.
Israel did not immediately comment. Earlier, the Iranian TV analysts accused Israel of the assassination as they had vowed to kill Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas over the group's Oct. 7 attack on Israel.
Furthermore, Israel is also suspected of running a years-long assassination campaign targeting Iranian nuclear scientists and others associated with its atomic program. In 2020, a top Iranian military nuclear scientist, Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, was killed by a remote-controlled machine gun while traveling in a car outside Tehran.
Reacting to the news of Haniyeh's demise, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said, "Today, dear Iran is mourning its sharer of sorrow and joy, the constant and proud companion of the path of resistance, the brave leader of the Palestinian resistance, the martyr of al-Quds, Haj Ismail Haniyeh. Yesterday I raised his victorious hand and today I have to bury him on my shoulders."
"Witnessing is the art of men of God. The bond between the two proud nations of Iran and Palestine will be stronger than before, and the path of resistance and defense of the oppressed will be followed stronger than ever. The Islamic Republic of Iran will defend its territorial integrity, honor and honor, and make the terrorist invaders regret their cowardly action. Indeed, Allah is the Most Merciful and Vengeful", the president further added.
