Haniyeh, the second-in-command of the Iran-backed militant group, was killed in an overnight strike alongside his bodyguard while in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
This incident marks a significant and dramatic blow to Hamas, and ignites fear of a wider war in the region, as Haniyeh was Hamas’s most prominent public figure, leading its political operations.
Hamas said Haniyeh’s death would “take the battle to new dimensions” and have major consequences.
Hamas has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack on Haniyeh.
The group claims that the assassination was a deliberate targeting by Israeli forces.
Meanwhile, Israel’s military has not confirmed involvement in the incident.
However, senior Israeli officials have previously committed to eliminating Hamas leadership following the group’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.
The Israeli military later indicated that it was “conducting a situational assessment.”
