Iranians attend the funeral procession of assassinated Hamas chief, Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Iran, August 1, 2024. Majid Asgaripour/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS/Filr Photo

Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Assassinated in Tehran

Details of the Assassination

Iran’s Revolutionary Guards announced on Saturday that Ismail Haniyeh, a leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran by a short-range projectile with a warhead weighing approximately 7 kg. The assassination, which occurred on Wednesday, has heightened concerns about a potential direct conflict between Tehran and Israel, especially amidst the ongoing war in Gaza and escalating tensions in Lebanon.

Iran’s Response

The Revolutionary Guards have vowed severe revenge for Haniyeh’s killing, stating that retribution will come “at an appropriate time, place, and manner.” The Guards have attributed the attack to Israel, referring to it as the work of the “terrorist Zionist regime.” Both Iran and Hamas have accused Israel of orchestrating the strike that killed Haniyeh shortly after he attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president.

Report on the Method of Attack

According to a report from The New York Times, which cited unnamed sources, the explosion that killed Haniyeh was caused by a bomb that had been covertly smuggled into the guesthouse where he was staying in Tehran two months prior. Israeli officials have not claimed responsibility for the attack.

International Reactions

The Revolutionary Guards’ statement also accused the “criminal U.S. government” of supporting the attack. Iranian media reported that the assassination occurred in a northern suburb of Tehran. Following the assassination, Haniyeh was buried on Friday in Qatar, where he had been based.

This event has added to the already high tensions in the region and could potentially lead to further escalations.