Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, the New York Times (NYT) reported, citing officials. The bomb had been hidden around two months before his stay.
Haniyeh had travelled to Iran’s capital for the inauguration of President Masoud Pezeshkian. He was put up in a guesthouse run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps in an upscale neighbourhood of northern Tehran. He had often stayed at the guesthouse during visits to Tehran.
Officials told NYT the bomb was detonated remotely once it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guesthouse, killing him and a bodyguard. The explosion shook the building, shattered some windows, and caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall.
In the immediate aftermath, speculation centred on the possibility of an Israeli missile strike, but the operation exploited a security lapse that allowed the bomb to be planted and remain hidden for weeks.
While Israel has not publicly taken responsibility for the killing, NYT reported that Israeli intelligence officials briefed the United States and other Western governments on the details of the operation.
The United States, however, denied receiving advance knowledge of the assassination plot, according to Secretary of State Antony Blinken.
A public funeral ceremony for Haniyeh was held in Tehran on Thursday, with crowds of mourners paying their respects. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers for Haniyeh, having earlier threatened "harsh punishment" for his killing.
Qatar is set to hold funeral ceremonies for Haniyeh on Friday, with Arab and Islamic leaders as well as representatives of other Palestinian factions and members of the public expected to attend, reported AFP.
