CAIRO/GAZA STRIP: In a shocking development, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran on Wednesday, the Palestinian group and Iran’s elite Revolutionary Guards said in separate statements.
Hamas mourned the death of Haniyeh, who it said was killed in “a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran”.
There was no immediate comment from Israel. The Israeli military said it was conducting a situational assessment but had not issued any new security guidelines for civilians.
Haniyeh attended Iran’s new president’s swearing in ceremony on Tuesday.
“Early this morning, the residence of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was struck, resulting in his and one of his body guards’ martyrdom. The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon,” the Revolutionary Guards said.
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Haniyeh was assassinated around 2am on Wednesday, Iranian media reported, adding that he was staying at “a special residence for war veterans in north Tehran”.
US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington would work to try to ease tensions but said the United States would help defend Israel if it were attacked.
Haniyeh’s killing came after Israel on Tuesday struck a Hezbollah stronghold in southern Beirut, killing a senior commander of the group it claimed was responsible for a weekend rocket attack on the Israel-annexed Golan Heights.
Haniyeh, normally based in Qatar, had travelled to Tehran to attend Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran’s top security body is expected to meet to decide Iran’s strategy in reaction to the death of Haniyeh, a close ally of Tehran, said a source with knowledge of the meeting.
Hamas says leader’s killing ‘will not go unanswered’
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