Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Reportedly Killed in Iran

Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was reportedly killed in Tehran, according to Iranian state media outlet Press TV, which cited the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Haniyeh, who had been living in exile and spent much of his recent years in Qatar, was the political chief of the militant group.

He had served as a negotiator in ceasefire talks and maintained relations with Hamas’s main ally, Iran, during the Israel-Gaza conflict. According to a statement from Hamas, Haniyeh and his bodyguard were killed in a “Zionist raid” on his residence in Tehran after he attended the inauguration of the new Iranian president.

CNN reported that the timing of Haniyeh’s death is unclear and that they have reached out to the Israeli military for comment on Hamas’s claims. It is also noted that in April, Israeli airstrikes killed three of Haniyeh’s sons and four of his grandchildren, according to Hamas.