Not airstrike, bomb planted at guesthouse killed Hamas chief: Report
A report by the New York Times has shed a different light on how Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran on Wednesday. Contradicting major reports that Haniyeh was killed in an airstrike, the report claimed that the assassination was carried out using an explosive device that had been secretly smuggled into a Tehran guesthouse where he was staying. According to five Middle Eastern officials, the bomb was planted two month ago.
Bomb detonation claims lives, damages property
The bomb was remotely detonated when Haniyeh was confirmed to be inside his room at the guesthouse. The guesthouse is part of the Neshat compound, situated in an upscale neighborhood and managed by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (RGC). The explosion not only claimed the life of Haniyeh but also that of a bodyguard. This information has been verified by two Iranian officials who are members of the RGC, the NYT report added.
Speculations point to Israel following Hamas leader's assassination
Following the assassination, immediate speculation pointed toward Israel as the possible orchestrator of the attack. While Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility for the operation, Israeli intelligence officials have briefed US and other Western governments on the details of the operation in its aftermath. The assassination revealed a significant security lapse within Iran's defenses, as the bomb was planted and remained undetected for weeks in a supposedly tightly guarded compound.
Security lapse leads to assassination, embarrassment for Iran
The incident is seen as an embarrassment for the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, who are responsible for protecting the guesthouse where Haniyeh was staying. Haniyeh had been leading Hamas's political office in Qatar and had stayed at this guesthouse during several visits to Tehran. It was unknown how the device was stored in the guesthouse. Middle Eastern officials claimed that the assassination took months to plan and involved intensive surveillance of the site.
Funeral ceremonies for Haniyeh held in Tehran and Qatar
A public funeral ceremony for Haniyeh was held in Tehran on Thursday, led by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Another funeral ceremony is scheduled to take place in Qatar on Friday. Arab and Islamic leaders, representatives of other Palestinian factions, and members of the public are expected to attend this event. He will be buried in Lusail, north of Qatar's capital, after funeral prayers at the Imam Muhammad bin Abdul Wahhab mosque, the largest in the oil-rich country.
