Hamas political chief assassinated in Iran

Hamas has said it’s political chief Ismail Haniyeh has been assassinated in Iran’s capital, Tehran, blaming Israel for his death, Al Jazeera reported citing a statement from the group that governs Gaza.

Haniyeh and one of his bodyguards were killed after the building where they were staying was struck, the statement said, adding that Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday.

In the statement, Hamas described the assassination as a “treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) also announced Haniyeh’s death.

“Early this morning, the residence of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was struck, resulting in his and one of his bodyguards’ martyrdom. The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon,” the IRGC said in a statement.

It gave no details on how Haniyeh was killed.

Israel remained silent on Haniyeh’s death, with media there reporting that the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had ordered cabinet ministers not to comment.