Hamas’s top political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, has been assassinated in Iran. According to a statement from the Palestinian group, Haniyeh, who lived in exile, was killed following a “treacherous Zionist” attack on his residence.
The assassination has been condemned as a “cowardly act that will not go unpunished,” according to senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk, as reported by Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV.
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps confirmed Haniyeh’s death, which occurred just hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani stated, “Haniyeh’s martyrdom in Tehran will strengthen the deep and unbreakable bond between Tehran, Palestine, and the resistance.”
This incident marks the second high-profile assassination attributed to Israel within a few hours. A previous strike in Beirut killed a senior Hezbollah commander, increasing concerns of escalating tensions and potential full-scale conflict in the region.
While Israel did not immediately comment on Haniyeh’s assassination, Israel’s Minister of Heritage, Amichay Eliyahu, praised the act, claiming it “makes the world a little better.” In a post on X, Eliyahu said, “No mercy for these mortals.”
