Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran on Tuesday, according to statements from Hamas and Iran’s foreign ministry. The killing, attributed to an Israeli raid, represents a significant escalation in Middle Eastern tensions and raises concerns about potential Iranian retaliation.
Haniyeh, 62, was in Tehran attending the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. Shortly after the ceremony, his residence was attacked, resulting in his death. The Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps stated that the incident is under investigation.
Haniyeh’s assassination occurred hours after Israeli forces killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut, sparking fears of a broader conflict. Iran’s foreign ministry condemned the attack, with spokesperson Nasser Kanaani vowing that Haniyeh’s “pure blood” would strengthen the bond between Iran and the Palestinians.
Haniyeh, a key figure in Hamas since the late 1980s, was imprisoned by Israel in 1989 and later exiled in 1992. He became Palestinian Prime Minister in 2006 after Hamas’s electoral victory but was dismissed a year later following the group’s violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.
In 2017, Haniyeh was elected head of Hamas’s political bureau. The U.S. designated him a terrorist in 2018, and he had been residing in Qatar, where he played a role in negotiating ceasefires.
The assassination is viewed as a major security breach for Iran, especially since Haniyeh had been prominently visible during the presidential inauguration. The international community, including leaders from France, Germany, Italy, and the U.K., is closely monitoring the situation to prevent further escalation. The killing has already drawn strong reactions, with Turkey labeling it a “heinous attack” and Russia condemning it as a “completely unacceptable political assassination.”
As tensions rise, the world watches closely, fearing this event could trigger a wider regional conflict.
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