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What we know
- Hamas’ political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed early today in Iran’s capital, Tehran, the Palestinian militant group said.
- The 62-year-old was killed in a "raid on his residence in Tehran" after he attended the inauguration ceremony for Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, Hamas said.
- Both Hamas and Iran accused Israel of carrying out the strike. There was no immediate comment from Israeli authorities. The U.S. was “not aware of or involved in” the strike, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said.
- Haniyeh had made announcements about the progress of cease-fire agreements in the Israel-Hamas war, and it is unclear how his death will affect efforts to pause fighting in the Gaza Strip and secure the release of hostages still held by Hamas.
Haniyeh's daughter-in-law mourns in a tearful video
Haniyeh’s daughter-in-law Inas Haniyeh mourned his death in a tearful video, bidding “goodbye to the leader of the nation.”
“The eyes are tearful, the heart is sad for your separation, Abu Abed, our father, we are sad,” she said in Arabic in a video released by Reuters.
Austin briefed on strike that killed Hezbollah leader, Israel defense ministry says
Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said today that he had briefed his American counterpart, Lloyd Austin, on the airstrike that killed Hezbollah official Fuad Shukr in Lebanon’s capital, Beirut.
The readout said that Gallant described the operation as a “direct response” to Hezbollah’s attack that killed 12 children in Majal Shams, a town in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.
Gallant told Austin “that the ties between Israel and the United States are central to Israel’s standing in the region and to deterring Iran and its proxies."
Status of top Hamas leaders
Haniyeh is one of several Hamas leaders who have been killed since the militant group launched its Oct. 7 terror attacks on Israel.
Earlier this month Israel said it had targeted Mohammed Deif, the head of Al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas’ military wing, in an airstrike. Hamas has denied Deif is dead.
Saleh al-Arouri, the commander of Hamas’ military wing in the occupied West Bank and deputy chairman of the group’s political bureau, was killed in a reported drone strike in Beirut on Jan. 2.
He was a key figure who had helped repair Hamas’ relations with Iran and who had been in Israel’s cross-hairs even before the current conflict in Gaza.
However, Yahya Sinwar, who was in charge of the day-to-day governance in Gaza and the man deemed as the mastermind of the Oct. 7 attacks, has proved an elusive target for Israel.
Israeli officials have said they believe he is hiding in the labyrinth of tunnels used by Hamas to conceal weapons, fighters and hostages.
Protesters take to the streets in the occupied West Bank
Palestinians took to the streets of Nablus in the occupied West Bank today following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran.In the city of Ramallah, crowds were also seen chanting in the street.
U.S. was 'not aware of or involved in' the strike that killed Haniyeh, Blinken says
The U.S. was “not aware of or involved in” the strike that killed Haniyeh, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said today.
Speaking with Channel News Asia in Singapore, Blinken said it was “imperative” to get a cease-fire in Gaza. He added that it was “vitally important” to help Palestinians in Gaza and “to get all hostages home including a number of Americans.”
“One of the things that we’ve been focused on is trying to make sure that the conflict that occurred in Gaza doesn’t escalate. We’re going to continue to do that as well,” he added.
Israeli military says no changes in defensive guidelines
While Israeli authorities have not commented on the attack that killed Haniyeh, the Israel Defense Forces said there were “no changes in the Home Front Command defensive guidelines.”
“The IDF is currently conducting a situational assessment,” it said this morning. “If any changes will be made, an update will be released,” it added.
Assassination throws cease-fire negotiations into doubt, Qatari PM says
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammad bin Abdulrahman Al Thani has questioned the wisdom of killing a negotiator in the Gaza cease-fire and hostage release talks.
“Political assassinations & continued targeting of civilians in Gaza while talks continue leads us to ask, how can mediation succeed when one party assassinates the negotiator on the other side?” he said in a post on X, which appeared to suggest that Israel was behind the strike.
“Peace needs serious partners,” he added.
Gaza cease-fire remains a top priority, Blinken says
Achieving a permanent cease-fire deal in Gaza remains a top priority, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in response to a question at a forum in Singapore about the potential impact of Haniyeh’s death on negotiations between Hamas and Israel.
“Nothing takes away from the importance of getting to the cease-fire,” he said. “I am not gonna speculate on what impact any one event might have on that.”
“What I do know is the enduring imperative of getting a cease-fire,” he added.
Iran's supreme leader warns of a 'harsh punishment'
Iran's Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has warned of "harsh punishment" to those behind Haniyeh's death in a post on X.
Blaming Israel for the attack, he said they “assassinated our dear guest, the martyr Ismail Haniyeh, in our home.” Haniyeh’s death "broke our hearts, but it also prepared a harsh punishment for itself," he added.
The attack is expected to draw a strong response from Iran. When an airstrike on a compound at the Iranian Embassy in the Syrian capital of Damascus killed senior Iranian commanders in April, Iran responded by firing hundreds of rockets and drones toward Israel.
Russia condemns attack; China calls for Gaza cease-fire
Russia has condemned Haniyeh’s killing, with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov telling reporters, “such actions are directed against attempts to bring peace to the region.”
Beijing also condemned the assassination and called for a permanent cease-fire in Gaza.
“We are deeply concerned that this event might lead to further regional instability,” state media CCTV quoted Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lin Jian as saying today.
