Ismail Haniyeh, bodyguard killed in Tehran

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed at his residence in Tehran this morning.

This was confirmed by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

“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 Mr. 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 IRGC statement read.

Hamas confirmed Haniyeh’s death and blamed Israel for the attack that took place on Wednesday morning. Hezbollah-affiliated news site Al Mayadeen too claimed that Israel eliminated him. Israeli officials have yet to comment.

Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iran’s new president and met Iran’s Supreme Leader on Tuesday.

Three of Haniyeh’s sons died in an airstrike in April.