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From the New York Post: Top Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated Wednesday by a bomb that was smuggled into the Tehran guesthouse where he was staying two months before his arrival, according to a report.
Haniyeh, who was initially thought to have been killed in an airstrike, died from a remotely detonated bomb inside the guesthouse, seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians and an American official, told the New York Times.
The bomb was hidden inside the guesthouse approximately two months before Haniyeh’s visit, five of the Middle Eastern officials told the Times.
According to the sources, the bomb detonated remotely once it was confirmed Haniyeh was inside the room at around 2 a.m. local time. The explosion was so targeted that the room where the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, next door sustained little damage, Iranian officials told The Times.
The New York Times, who first reported on the news, quoted Secretary of State Antony Blinken as saying that the United States had received no advance knowledge of the assassination plot.
It was first believed that a missile strike had caused the explosion. Now Iran is lamenting the massive security breach that allowed a bomb to be planted in the building months in advance.
Iran reportedly uses the compound for retreats, secret meetings and housing prominent guests. The bomb killed Haniyeh, along with a bodyguard who was in the room with him.
Hours after the bombing, Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, issued an order to strike Israel in retaliation.
“Following this bitter, tragic event which has taken place within the borders of the Islamic Republic, it is our duty to take revenge,” Ali Khamenei declared.
Following this bitter, tragic event which has taken place within the borders of the Islamic Republic, it is our duty to take revenge.
— Khamenei.ir (@khamenei_ir) July 31, 2024
Breaking News: Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader assassinated in Iran this week, was killed by a bomb smuggled into his guesthouse months ago, Middle Eastern officials said. https://t.co/O8sfQVjnNE
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 1, 2024
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