Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader, was assassinated on Wednesday by an explosive device covertly smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying, according to seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official, the New York Times reported.
According to an investigation carried out by the New York Times, the bomb had been hidden approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, which is run and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. The compound, known as Neshat, is located in an upscale neighborhood of northern Tehran.
Haniyeh was in Iran’s capital for the presidential inauguration. The bomb was detonated remotely once it was confirmed he was inside his room, also killing a bodyguard.
The blast early Wednesday shattered windows and collapsed a portion of the wall of the compound, causing significant damage to Haniyeh’s room but minimal damage beyond the building itself.
The incident is seen as a significant intelligence and security failure for Iran, particularly for the Iranian Guards. While initial speculation suggested a missile strike, Iranian officials confirmed the explosion took place inside Haniyeh’s room, with an investigation showing the explosives had been planted in advance.
The attack’s precision and sophistication were likened to the remote-controlled weapon used by Israel to assassinate Iran’s top nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020.
Iranian and Hamas officials accused Israel of the assassination, a claim supported by several anonymous U.S. officials. Israel has not publicly acknowledged responsibility, but Israeli intelligence briefed the U.S. and other Western governments on the operation. Secretary of State Antony Blinken confirmed the U.S. had no prior knowledge of the plot. (Summary of the investigation by the New York Times)