Both Iran and Hamas have pointed blame towards Israel for the shocking assassination that could escalate the already existing conflict with Israeli leadership.
"Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president," Hamas said in a statement.
Iran's Revolutionary Guards said Haniyeh's residence in Tehran was "hit" and he was killed along with a bodyguard.
Haniyeh had travelled to Tehran to attend Tuesday's swearing-in ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has threatened 'harsh punishment' against Israel for the assassination' of Haniyeh.
"With this action, the criminal and terrorist Zionist regime prepared the ground for harsh punishment for itself, and we consider it our duty to seek revenge for his blood as he was martyred in the territory of the Islamic Republic of Iran," Khamenei was quoted by the country's official news agency, IRNA.
The strike comes against the backdrop of Iran's support for the Palestinian Hamas militant group, whose assault on Israel on October 7, 2023, triggered Israel's invasion of Gaza.
Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netanyahu had earlier vowed to destroy Hamas and bring back all hostages taken during the October 7 attack, which sparked the war in the Gaza Strip.
Wycliffe Nyamasege
Source : https://en.igihe.com/news/article/hamas-top-leader-s-death-in-iran-sparks-accusations-against-israel
