The group’s top leader was visiting for the presidential inauguration of Massoud Pezeshkian. An explosion at his residence caused his death.
On July 31, it was reported the murder of Ismail Haniyeh the political leader Hamas visiting Iran .
The offensive took place while I was staying in a guesthouse in a luxurious neighborhood in northern Tehran. and also caused the death of his bodyguard.
The militant group’s 62-year-old senior leader, had arrived in the Iranian capital to attend the presidential inauguration of Massoud Pezeshkian who won the elections in early July.
After the attack was reported, Hamas, they accused the forces of Israel be behind the episode .
However, from the country of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu They have neither confirmed nor denied their participation. in the attack.
According to seven Middle Eastern officials, New York Times (including two Iranians and one American), the offensive was given through a Explosive device which was introduced into the building where Haniyeh was staying and then detonated remotely .
The bomb is believed to have been hidden there about two months ago. and that the aim was specifically to bring down the Hamas leader.
Previously, Haniyeh had stayed in the same place several times during his visits to Tehran.
It is a residence which is managed and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps .
As Pezeshkian’s inauguration took place the same week, Other Middle Eastern officials were also staying at the guesthouse. .
Even like this, The victims were specifically Haniyeh and the bodyguard it was with him.
What was the operation to assassinate Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas?
The officials, who spoke to the American newspaper on condition of anonymity, said that The explosion shook the building, shattering some windows and causing part of an exterior wall to collapse. .
Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack, these sources assured the Times that Israeli intelligence officials briefed the United States and other Western governments on details of the attack immediately afterward. that it was done.
After the July 30 attack, U.S. Secretary of State Antony J. Blinken said: They had no prior knowledge of an operation to kill Haniyeh. .
Even though the building where the Hamas leader was staying was under constant guard, A security flaw allowed the bomb to be planted in advance to your visit.
However, It is still not known how he hid. the artifact.
The explosion occurred around 2:00 a.m. (local hour).
After hearing the loud noise, Staff members scoured the building to find the source .
When is it? They arrived at the room that Haniyeh shared with the bodyguard. .
Faced with this acute scenario, They called local medical staff so that they can take care of the situation.
The death of the Hamas leader came immediately . And although doctors tried to resuscitate the bodyguard, it was not possible.
The enclosure in which they usually stayed is used for important meetings and accommodation of authorities and special guests.
Actually, In the next room was the leader of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah. according to sources told the aforementioned media.
Even like this, The room in which the latter leader was staying did not show any major damage. .
These details suggest that There was precise planning to attack Haniyeh ” Iranian officials said.
Hamas deputy commander in the Gaza Strip, Khalil al-Hayya, He was also in Tehran, so he went there to assess what happened.
Furthermore The Commander-in-Chief of the Qods Force was immediately informed of this. Revolutionary Guards General Ismail Ghaani.
He alerted Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to the situation. who was sleeping and woke up to witness the scene.
About four hours later, The Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh’s death in a statement. .
Already at 7 o’clock, about five hours after the explosion, Khamenei met with members of the Supreme National Security Council for an emergency session .
There he gave the order to attack Israel in retaliation. ” Iranian officials said.
The same week, Pezeshkian’s presidential inauguration took place, a case in point Haniyeh appeared optimistic, as did other political and military leaders in the Middle East. who attended the ceremony.
The attack on Haniyeh has further increased tensions in the region, as the 62-year-old leader He had been one of the main negotiators for a possible ceasefire in Gaza. .
Iran’s Foreign Ministry said after the attack that the “martyrdom” of Hamas’ political leader “will strengthen the deep and indissoluble bond between Tehran, Palestine and the resistance” .
Similarly, Hamas political movement member Musa Abu Marzuk, He called the episode a “cowardly act” and warned that “it will not go unanswered.” .
Another senior member of the group, Sami Abu Zuhri, accused that “this assassination by the Israeli occupation of brother Haniyeh This is a serious escalation aimed at breaking the will of Hamas and the will of our people.
And while Israel has neither confirmed nor denied responsibility for the attack, its Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said that They are not seeking war, but they are “preparing for all possibilities.” .
Source: Latercera
I am David Jack and I have been working in the news industry for over 10 years. As an experienced journalist, I specialize in covering sports news with a focus on golf. My articles have been published by some of the most respected publications in the world including The New York Times and Sports Illustrated.
