Hamas leader killed while visiting Iran

When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.

What happened

Ismail Haniyeh, one of the most senior Hamas members, was killed at his residence in Tehran in a raid by Israel, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps and Hamas.

Who said what

The Palestinian militant group that controls Gaza said that Haniyeh was "killed in a treacherous Zionist raid." Haniyeh had taken part in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian yesterday, Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. Most Hamas leaders "keep a low public profile," said the BBC. Others have spent "much of their lives evading assassination attempts by Israel." The "targeting of two senior leaders of two Iran-backed groups" within just hours "would be an audacious escalation in the region," The New York Times said, referring to the strike on Hezbollah's leader Fuad Shukr.

What next?

Israel is yet to issue a statement but said it does not respond to reports in the foreign news media.