Israel assassinate the political leader of Hamas movement in Tehran Ismail Haniyeh along with one of his bodyguards

The Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas) said Wednesday that its political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, and one of his bodyguards were assassinated in an Israeli raid in Tehran.

Hamas said in a statement that it “mourns … Brother leader, martyr Ismail Haniyeh, head of the movement, who died in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran, after participating in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president”.

“The residence of Ismail Haniyeh, head of the political bureau of the Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, was bombed in Tehran, and as a result he and one of his bodyguards were martyred,” a statement issued by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) published on its website said.

The Revolutionary Guards said the incident was being investigated.

Shortly after Haniyeh’s death was announced, Musa Abu Marzouq, a member of Hamas’ political bureau, said the assassination was a cowardly act and wouldn’t be in vain.

The Israeli military didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on reports of the assassination.

Haniyeh arrived in Tehran on Tuesday to attend the inauguration of new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian in the Shura Council.

Haniyeh met with Pezeshkian and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Allah Ali Khamenei.

Tuesday’s swearing-in ceremony came amid fears of war between Israel and Hezbollah following a missile strike on Saturday on the Israel-occupied Syrian Golan Heights.

For his part, Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas condemned on Wednesday the assassination of the head of Hamas’ political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh.

The official Palestinian news agency Wafa reported that Abbas strongly condemned the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, and considered it a cowardly act and a dangerous development.

Abbas called on the masses and forces of the Palestinian people to unite, be patient and steadfast in the face of the Israeli occupation.

Haniyeh was elected head of Hamas’ political bureau in 2017, succeeding Khaled Mesha’al.

He was a well-known figure after becoming prime minister in 2006 following a surprise victory by Hamas in the Palestinian parliamentary elections that same year.

During the war, Haniyeh visited Iran and Türkiye, and met with the Turkish and Iranian presidents.

He joined Hamas in 1987 when the movement was founded in the midst of the first Palestinian intifada against the Israeli occupation, which lasted until 1993.

Iran has made support for the Palestinian cause a central focus of its foreign policy since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Tehran praised Hamas’s attack on Israel but denied any role.