Hamas has announced that its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli strike in Tehran, where he had been attending the inauguration of Iran's new president.
The movement's statement confirmed that Haniyeh, the head of Hamas, died in the attack on his Tehran headquarters after participating in the swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards also confirmed Haniyeh's death, stating that his residence in Tehran was targeted, resulting in his and his bodyguard's deaths. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps's Sepah news website reported this incident, emphasizing Haniyeh's significant role within Hamas.
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The Israeli military has not commented on Haniyeh's reported death. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has previously vowed to dismantle Hamas following the October 7 attack on southern Israel, which killed 1,197 people, primarily civilians. This attack also led to the abduction of 251 hostages, with 111 still held captive in Gaza, including 39 confirmed dead.
Ismail Haniyeh, a key figure in Hamas, succeeded Khaled Meshaal as head of its political bureau in 2017. Known for his pragmatic approach, Haniyeh lived in exile, spending time in Turkey and Qatar. He frequently traveled on diplomatic missions, meeting with the presidents of Iran and Turkey during the recent conflict.
Haniyeh joined Hamas in 1987, during the first Palestinian intifada against Israeli occupation. The ongoing Israeli retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has resulted in at least 39,400 deaths, according to Gaza's health ministry, though it does not distinguish between civilian and militant casualties.
Since the 1979 Islamic revolution, Iran has strongly supported the Palestinian cause and praised Hamas's recent attacks on Israel while denying direct involvement.
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