Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in a raid at his residence in Tehran on Wednesday, according to statements from both the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Hamas.
The raid, reportedly conducted by Israel, follows Haniyeh's recent participation in the inauguration of Iran’s new President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Haniyeh, who had been living in exile in Qatar, was seen in photographs with Iranian leaders during his visit.
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps announced, "Haniyeh and his Iranian bodyguard were killed in a raid by the 'Zionist entity,'" referring to Israel. Hamas confirmed the assassination, though details surrounding the circumstances remain unclear.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, reacting to the October 7 Hamas attack, remarked, "They are living on borrowed time," targeting the leadership of the militant group. A poster in Gallant's Tel Aviv office reportedly displays images of key Hamas figures, including Haniyeh.
Before his assassination, Ismail Haniyeh's two sons and grandchildren were killed in an alleged Israeli airstrike on April 14th while returning from a relative's home after Eid celebrations.
Haniyeh was considered the overall leader of Hamas, although his control over the organization in Gaza was uncertain.
His involvement with Hamas dates back to the late 1980s, leading to multiple arrests by Israeli authorities. After his release from jail in 1992, Haniyeh was exiled to southern Lebanon but returned to Gaza a year later.
His rapid ascent within Hamas began when he was appointed to head the office of the group's spiritual leader, Sheikh Ahmed Yassin, in 1997. Yassin was killed by an Israeli strike in 2004.
In 2006, Haniyeh led Hamas to a surprising victory in the Palestinian parliamentary elections, becoming the 'Prime Minister of the State of Palestine.'
However, international financial backers and Israel refused to accept a Hamas-led government, and tensions with Fatah, the party of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, escalated.
President Abbas dissolved Haniyeh's government in 2007, but Haniyeh continued to rule from Gaza while Fatah controlled the West Bank.
Haniyeh stepped down as the leader of Hamas in Gaza in 2017, allowing Yahya Sinwar to rise to power.
That same year, Haniyeh was appointed chairman of Hamas' Political Bureau, succeeding Khaled Meshal. By 2018, he had relocated to Qatar, leading Hamas' political operations from Doha until his death.
Israel has neither confirmed nor denied Iran's claim of its involvement in Haniyeh's assassination. Israel typically remains silent on operations in hostile territories.
The killing of the Hamas chief in Tehran, shortly after the inauguration of Iran's new president, is seen as a significant embarrassment for the Islamic Republic. Iran is currently investigating the incident.
Although this is not the first time Israel has targeted individuals linked to Hamas, Israel has consistently carried out assassinations against figures associated with Iran's IRGC, Hezbollah, and high-ranking officials, including scientists linked to Iran's nuclear program, such as Mohsen Fakhrizadeh.
Today’s incident is another successful operation for Israel and another failure for Iran in protecting its allies both inside and outside its territory. The killing of Ismail Haniyeh marks a significant shift in Israel's ongoing invasion of Gaza.
Despite this, Hamas has said that the sacrifice of Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh will not be in vain and its threat to carry out more attacks on the IDF in Gaza. This incident only strengthens Hamas' resolve to fight with more determination.
Regardless of what Hamas says, this is a significant blow, raising questions about Haniyeh's replacement. Potential successors include Yahya Sinwar, Mohammed Deif, or even the retired Khaled Meshal.
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