Hamas Political Bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh has been killed in an attack on his residence in Tehran, Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced on Wednesday. According to reports from Press TV, Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed in the incident.
The IRGC released a statement to Meher News Agency stating, “With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred.”
This event occurred a day after Iran’s Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, met with Haniyeh. Khamenei’s office shared pictures of their meeting on social media platform X, indicating discussions with Haniyeh and Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement.
In response to Khamenei’s post, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) remarked, “Did someone ask for a photo-op of Iran and the leaders of their proxies? Iran’s Khamenei met with Hamas’ Ismail Haniyah and the Islamic Jihad’s Ziyad-al Nakhalah — two of the terrorist organizations who have been attempting to kill Israelis using weapons made and funded by Iran.”
Haniyeh, who was primarily based in Qatar, was reportedly in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President-elect Masoud Pezeshkian.
Earlier in April, three sons of Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an Israeli air strike. The IDF confirmed the deaths of Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in Hamas’ military wing, and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh, both military operatives, in central Gaza.
The IDF’s post on X on April 10 stated, “IAF aircraft struck Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wing, and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh, both Hamas military operatives, in central Gaza today. The IDF confirms that the 3 operatives are the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas’ political bureau.”
The IDF also announced the elimination of Fuad Shukr, also known as “Sayyid Muhsan,” Hezbollah’s most senior military commander. Shukr, described as Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah’s right-hand man, was held responsible for numerous attacks on Israel, including the killing of 12 children in Majdal Shams and directing advanced weaponry operations for Hezbollah.
