Ismail Haniyeh, Senior Hamas Figure, Killed in Iran

The Islamic Republic of Iran announced on Tuesday night that Ismail Haniyeh, the top leader of Hamas, was killed inside Tehran. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) reported that Haniyeh was targeted while attending the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, The New York Times reported. The attack occurred at a residence, resulting in the deaths of Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards.

“The residence of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political office of Hamas Islamic Resistance, was hit in Tehran, and as a result of this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred,” the IRGC stated.

Haniyeh’s death follows the unprecedented October 7 terrorist attack on Israel by Hamas, an Iranian-backed terrorist group, which led to over 1,200 deaths. It is unclear who is responsible for Haniyeh’s assassination, but Israel had been actively targeting Hamas officials, including those residing abroad, in response to the attack.

Key Points:

• Haniyeh’s Assassination: Occurred in Tehran during the inauguration ceremony of Iran's new president.

• Hamas Attack: The October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas resulted in over 1,200 deaths.

• Israeli Retaliation: Israel has been targeting Hamas officials globally in response to the attack.

Ronen Bar, head of the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), likened the October 7 attack to the 1972 Munich massacre, where Palestinian terrorists killed 11 Israeli Olympic team members. Israel responded to Munich by hunting down all those involved, a strategy now being applied to Hamas officials.

“The cabinet set a goal for us, to take out Hamas. And we are determined to do it, this is our Munich,” Bar said. “In every location, in Gaza, in the West Bank, in Lebanon, in Turkey, in Qatar, everyone. It will take a few years, but we will be there in order to do it.”

Bar admitted to a security lapse on October 7 but emphasized Shin Bet’s renewed efforts to counter threats against Israel, operating with a heightened sense of urgency.

“We are already learning our lessons from the events, already transferring them to other sectors, not just to the Gaza Strip, of course,” he added.

Earlier the same day, Israel also targeted and killed Hezbollah’s Fuad Shukr in Lebanon. Shukr was Hezbollah’s most senior military commander and a close advisor to Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah. His death followed a Hezbollah attack that killed 12 children in northern Israel.

The assassination of Haniyeh marks a significant escalation in the ongoing conflict, reflecting the high stakes and relentless operations carried out by both sides.

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