Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, was assassinated in Tehran, Iran. Hamas confirmed the assassination, stating that Haniyeh’s residence was attacked, resulting in his death and the death of one of his bodyguards. Haniyeh was in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new President, Masoud Pezeshkian.
Following the incident, both Hamas and Iranian state television analysts blamed Israel for the attack. No group has officially claimed responsibility yet.
This event occurs in the backdrop of ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, which escalated significantly last year. The conflict began with Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7, resulting in over 1,200 Israeli deaths and 250 hostages. Israel’s retaliation has led to the deaths of around 40,000 Palestinians and left over 90,000 wounded, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry.
