Assassination of Ismail Haniyeh
Ismail Haniyeh, a prominent leader of Hamas, was tragically assassinated on Wednesday through an explosive device that had been surreptitiously smuggled into the guesthouse in Tehran where he was residing. This information has been corroborated by seven officials from various Middle Eastern countries, including two Iranian sources, as well as an American official.
The explosive device was reportedly concealed in the guesthouse approximately two months prior to the assassination, as revealed by five of the Middle Eastern officials. This guesthouse, known as Neshat, is managed and secured by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is located in a posh district of northern Tehran.
Mr. Haniyeh was in the Iranian capital to attend the presidential inauguration when the attack took place. The bomb was detonated remotely at the moment it was confirmed that he was present in his room, according to the five officials. The explosion not only claimed Mr. Haniyeh’s life but also resulted in the death of a bodyguard.
The blast was powerful enough to shake the building, shatter windows, and partially collapse an exterior wall, as reported by two Iranian officials who are members of the Revolutionary Guards and were briefed on the incident. Visual evidence of the damage was also shared with The New York Times, highlighting the severity of the explosion.
Mr. Haniyeh, who had been leading Hamas’s political office in Qatar, was no stranger to this guesthouse; he had stayed there multiple times during his visits to Tehran, according to the Middle Eastern officials. All the officials provided this sensitive information on the condition of anonymity.
On Thursday, mourners gathered in Tehran to pay their respects during the funeral of Ismail Haniyeh, with Iranian authorities asserting that Israel was responsible for the assassination.
