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Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed in his Iran home Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh killed at his residence in Iran
(about 1 hour later)
The militant group have placed the blame for the strike on Israel The Palestinian militant group has blamed the strike on Israel and vowed retaliation
The head of the Hamas political wing, Ismail Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards have been killed after their home was targeted in Tehran, Iranian news agency Mehr said on Tuesday, citing a statement the Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). The leader of the Hamas political wing, Ismail Haniyeh, has been assassinated along with one of his bodyguards in Tehran, the Palestinian group and Iranian authorities have confirmed. 
Haniyeh, usually based in Qatar, had been in the Iranian capital as the country’s new president Masoud Pezeshkian was sworn in. Hamas was quick to blame the killing on Israel, which has so far declined to comment.
Hamas have placed the blame on Israel. Hineyeh was killed on Tuesday morning after a “treacherous attack of the Zionists on his residence,” Mehr wrote, citing a statement from the militant group. Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political office and one of his bodyguards died as a result, they said. The group said Hineyeh was killed on Tuesday morning in a “treacherous attack of the Zionists on his residence” in Tehran.
The IRGC said that investigation into the incident is ongoing. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) has said an investigation is ongoing. 
The assassination of Haniyeh is a “cowardly act that will not go unpunished”, Hamas-run Al-Aqsa TV has quoted senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk as saying. Haniyeh, usually based in Qatar, was in the Iranian capital for the inauguration of the new president, Masoud Pezeshkian.
“This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. He went on to say that Hamas would continue the path it was following, adding they are “confident of victory.”
Israel had pledged to eliminate Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas over the group’s October, 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage. Earlier this year an Israeli air strike in central Gaza killed three sons and four grandchildren of Haniyeh, with the military claiming they were involved in “terrorist activities”. Haniyeh at the time said that about 60 members of his family had been killed since October. The assassination of Haniyeh is a “cowardly act that will not go unpunished”, the Hamas-run channel Al-Aqsa TV quoted senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk as saying.
From Qatar, Haniyeh had been the militant group’s diplomatic face, acting as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations and the talks around the return of Israeli hostages during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. “This assassination by the Israeli occupation of Brother Haniyeh is a grave escalation that aims to break the will of Hamas,” senior Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri told Reuters. He went on to say that Hamas will continue the path it is following, and is “confident of victory.”
Israel had threatened to eliminate Haniyeh and other leaders of Hamas over the group’s October, 7 attack on Israel that killed 1,200 people and saw some 250 others taken hostage. Earlier this year an Israeli air strike in central Gaza killed three sons and four grandchildren of Haniyeh. The military claimed they were involved in “terrorist activities”. Haniyeh at the time said that about 60 members of his family had been killed since October.
From Qatar, Haniyeh had been the militant group’s diplomatic frontman, acting as a mediator in ceasefire negotiations and talks on the return of Israeli hostages during the Israel-Hamas war.