Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Iran

In a statement released this morning (July 31), Hamas said its political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Iran, where he was attending the inauguration of the country's new president.

"Brother, leader, Islamic militant Ismail Haniyeh, head of the movement, was killed in an attack by the Israeli army on his headquarters in Tehran after he attended the inauguration of the new (Iranian) President," the movement said in a statement.

Ismail Haniyeh, was killed in an airstrike along with a bodyguard. Photo: Times of Israel

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also announced the death, saying Haniyeh's residence in Tehran had been "attacked" and he was killed along with a bodyguard.

"The residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political department of Hamas Islamic Resistance, was attacked in Tehran, and as a result of this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were killed," a statement from the IRGC-affiliated Sepah news website said.

Israel has yet to comment on Haniyeh's death. Tel Aviv has long vowed to target Hamas leaders for launching the October 7 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

The targeted assassination of Haniyeh marks the death of the most senior Hamas political official since the conflict began.

Haniyeh was elected head of the Hamas political body in 2017 to succeed Khaled Meshaal, but he was already a popular figure when he became Palestinian prime minister in 2006 following Hamas' surprise victory in that year's parliamentary elections.

Considered a pragmatist, Haniyeh lives in exile and divides his time between Türkiye and Qatar.

During the war, Mr. Haniyeh made frequent diplomatic trips to Iran and Türkiye, meeting with both the Turkish and Iranian presidents.

Haniyeh is said to maintain good relations with the heads of various Palestinian factions, including Hamas' rivals.

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

Nguyen Khanh (according to France 24, Wall Street Journal)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/lanh-dao-chinh-tri-hamas-ismail-haniyeh-bi-am-sat-o-iran-post305666.html