Iran reveals specifics of Hamas director‘s killing

(MENAFN) Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has publicly detailed the assassination of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, asserting that the attack was executed using a short-range projectile. The IRGC, a powerful and influential arm of Iran's military, has pointed the finger at Israel and the United States, accusing them of orchestrating and supporting the fatal assault.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the IRGC claimed that the operation, which resulted in Haniyeh’s death in Tehran earlier this week, was a deliberate act by the Israeli government, with support from the United States. The Iranian military faction emphasized that the attack was carried out with a projectile equipped with a warhead weighing approximately seven kilograms, launched from outside the residence where Haniyeh was staying.

Israeli authorities have neither confirmed nor denied involvement in the assassination. However, Israeli officials have consistently vowed to target Hamas militants as part of their broader strategy in the ongoing conflict in Gaza. United States Secretary of State Antony Blinken stated that the United States had no knowledge of or participation in the assassination.

Further fueling tensions in the Middle East, the IRGC's announcement follows a report by The New York Times, which cited Middle Eastern officials stating that Haniyeh was killed by a remotely detonated bomb that had been smuggled into his guesthouse several months prior to the incident.

The assassination of Haniyeh has intensified an already volatile security situation in the region. Last October, a surprise Hamas incursion into Israel prompted a large-scale Israeli ground operation in Gaza, resulting in widespread destruction and significant casualties.

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