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Iran's IRGC Says Hamas Political Chief Ismail Haniyeh Killed In Raid

By RFE/RL's Radio Farda July 31, 2024

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps said Ismail Haniyeh, the political leader of the Palestinian extremist group Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by the United States and the European Union, was killed in Tehran in a raid it accused Israel of carrying out.

The IRGC said it was investigating the attack that killed the 62-year-old Haniyeh while he was in Tehran to attend the July 30 inauguration ceremony for Iran's new president, Masud Pezeshkian.

It did not give any details on the how the attack was carried out.

Iran-backed Hamas confirmed the news in a post on its Telegram channel on July 31, saying Haniyeh was killed in an "air strike on his residence in Tehran."

There has yet to be confirmation from the Israeli side.

Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas immediately condemned the killing, calling it a "cowardly act and dangerous development," according to the Palestinian state news agency WAFA.

Several countries denounced the attack, with Russia calling it an "unacceptable political assassination," while Turkey warned it would extend the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip.

When asked about the strike that killed Haniyeh, U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin told reporters in the Phillippines, where he was on a visit, that "I don't have any additional information to provide."

Earlier on July 30, Israel claimed it had "eliminated" Fuad Shukr, the Hizballah militant commander Israel alleges was behind a weekend rocket attack that killed 12 Israeli youths in Beirut.

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on the X social media network that Shukr has "directed" attacks by Hizballah.

There was no immediate response from Hizballah.

Shukr was wanted by U.S. authorities for his alleged involvement in a 1983 attack on U.S. troops in Beirut. Washington had offered up to $5 million for information on Shukr, who is also known as al-Hajj Mohsin and is on the U.S. terrorist list.

Hizballah, which rarely shies away from claiming attacks on Israeli targets, has denied it was responsible for the July 27 attack in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, but Israel had vowed to retaliate against the Iran-backed group.

Israel has vowed to kill leaders of Hamas over the group's October 7 attack inside Israeli territory that killed 1,200 people. Around 250 others were taken hostage, some of whom have since been released.

Some of the hostages have died while in Gaza as Israel carries out a massive military operation it says is aimed at eliminating Hamas. Some of the hostages are believed to still be alive.

Haniyeh had been part of Hamas for decades and became its political chief in 2017. He lived in the Gaza Strip until 2019, when he moved to live in exile in Qatar.

He had emerged as one of its most visible leaders during the war with Israel in Gaza as he shuttled between countries in the Middle East to attend international negotiations over the conflict, including the release of the hostages still being held by Hamas.

With additional reporting by Reuters

Source: https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-s-irgc-says- hamas-political-chief-haniyeh-killed-in-raid-/33057365.html

Copyright (c) 2024. RFE/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave., N.W. Washington DC 20036.