A bomb killed Haniyeh smuggled into a Tehran guesthouse months ago
On Wednesday, what can be considered a big blow to the Hamas militant group, their political bureau chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed through an exploding device hidden in the guest house in Tehran where he was residing. An informant familiar with the situation said that the bomb was planted there a little over a month ago and only activated when Haniyeh entered his bedroom.
The Iranian government, as well as the Hamas, have accused the Israeli government of sponsoring the assassination, though the latter has not admitted or denied this act. The source also reported that Israel’s officials informed the U. S that it had conducted the operation only after the activity had been completed. This is regarding the account whereby the New York Times outlined the various details of Haniyeh’s assassination.
The way of Haniyeh’s elimination – a bomb in a specially protected guest house through Iran’s military – Sepah-e Pasdaran or the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps – shows a major vulnerability. Hamas and Iran’s state media circled earlier information that Haniyeh was killed as a result of an exterior rocket assault on the construction. Unlike the previous static car muscle display, These findings portray a more organized and stealthy operation.
Reporters have sought to speak to the Iranian government on the matter, but there has been no response up to this point. The New York Times also posted pictures of the guest house with debris sown on the ground floor roof and a piece of the building’s corner wrapped in green cloth.
Haniyeh went to Tehran to participate in the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. During this period, he was observed to have met with the Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and President Pezeshkian, in addition to the inauguration of the Islamic Consultative Assembly building. His last artwork was displayed to the public during an exhibition at Tehran’s Milad Tower before his assassination.
Haniyeh’s body was taken to Doha, Qatar, where funeral rites were expected to be held on Friday in what his successor described as a glorious send-off. Footage that CNN captured has the wife of Haniyeh, Umm al-Abed, wailing over the dead body of her husband. A funeral prayer for Haniyeh will be said at the Imam Muhammad ibn Abd al-Wahhab Mosque in Doha before burial at the Imam Founder Cemetery in Lusail city.
Haniyeh’s assassination has increased the worry about a large-scale conflict in the Middle East, increasing the hostility to the expansion of Israel and its enemies. This act occurs a couple of weeks after an Israeli airstrike in Beirut targeting and killing Hezbollah commander Fu’ad Shukr. The Hezbollah party was also critical of the attack, and its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, promised the enemy a response shortly and declared the possibility of joint operations with other Middle Eastern organizations.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) chief spokesperson, Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari, said Israel is ready for different possible developments given the situation. He noted the IDF’s readiness to confront potential threats professionally with the help of International partners; however, Israel is not fully protected from the threats.
Civilians of the affected areas were killed in the crossfire between Israeli forces and Hamas; the Israeli military claimed that it assassinated Mohammed Deif, head of Hamas’ military wing, in a Khan Younis air strike. Consequently, Israel’s emergency services have been performing training in anticipation of such war perspectives.
Many people flocked to the streets of Tehran when the coffin of Haniyeh was being transported to the cemetery. It has just led to a new unpredictable and rather dangerous phase in the continuing conflict between Israel and Hamas, with the whole region preparing for any possible steps that any side may undertake.
