Ismail Haniyeh, Top Hamas Leader, Killed in Iran

Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran's Tehran, the Palestinian militant group Hamas said in a statement on Wednesday, July 31. According to the Iranian media reports, Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence in Tehran was targeted, said Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in a statement. 

A statement released by the Islamist faction said, "a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran". The Palestinian leader was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iranian president-elect Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence in Tehran was targeted, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed in a statement, Iranian media reports.

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2024

In a statement to Meher News Agency the IRGC said that Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after their residence was targeted in Tehran.

"With condolences to the heroic nation of Palestine and the Islamic nation and the combatants of the Resistance Front and the noble nation of Iran, this morning (Wednesday) the residence of Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the political office of the Islamic Resistance of Hamas, was hit in Tehran, and following this incident, he and one of his bodyguards were martyred," the statement read.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's Supreme Leader, Seyyed Ali Hosseini Khamenei, held a meeting with Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Khamenei took to social media platform X to share pictures of his meeting with Haniyeh. 

In a post on X, Khamenei's office stated, "Imam Khamenei met with Mr. Ismail Haniyah, head of the political bureau of the Palestinian Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas, and Mr. Ziyad al-Nakhalah, the Secretary General of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad Movement."

In its reply to the post, the Israel Defence Forces posted "Did someone ask for a photo-op of Iran and the leaders of their proxies? Iran’s Khamenei met with Hamas’ Ismail Haniyah and the Islamic Jihad’s Ziyad-al Nakhalah — two of the terrorist organizations who have been attempting to kill Israelis using weapons made and funded by Iran. We can only assume the topics of conversation included how to spend more Iranian money to kill Israelis while wishing Hezbollah’s Nasrallah could join them." 

Ismail Haniyeh who is based in Qatar, was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of the Iranian President-elect, Masoud Pezeshkian, according to a Press TV report. 

Earlier in April, three sons of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh were killed in an air strike carried out by the Israeli Air Force on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) informed. The three sons of the Hamas leader, who were confirmed dead by the Israeli forces, were identified as Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wind and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh."

In a post on X, IDF on April 10 stated, "IAF aircraft struck Amir Haniyeh, a cell commander in the Hamas military wing, and Mohammad and Hazem Haniyeh, both Hamas military operatives, in central Gaza today. The IDF confirms that the 3 operatives are the sons of Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of Hamas' political bureau."

Meanwhile, the Israel Defence forces also announced that they had eliminated Fuad Shukr "Sayyid Muhsan", Hezbollah’s Most Senior Military Commander. According to the IDF, Shukr was Hezbollah commander Hassan Nasrallah’s Right-Hand Man and directed Hezbollah's attacks on Israel. IDF said he was responsible for the killing of 12 children in Majdal Shams in northern Israel earlier, as well as the killing of numerous Israelis and foreign nationals over the years. The IDF said Shukr was also responsible for the majority of Hezbollah's most advanced weaponry, including precise-guided missiles, cruise missiles, anti-ship missiles, long-range rockets and UAVs.