Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed by an explosion caused by a “short-range projectile,” the country’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has claimed, blaming Israel and the US for the assassination.
In a statement on Saturday, the IRGC, an elite and influential branch of the Iranian military, claimed that the deadly attack on Haniyeh in Tehran earlier this week “was designed and executed by the Zionist regime and supported by the criminal government of America.”
Although West Jerusalem has neither confirmed nor denied involvement, Israeli officials have repeatedly vowed to eliminate Hamas’ militants as the bloody conflict in Gaza continues. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that Washington was “not aware of or involved in” the assassination.
The IRGC also said that the investigation found that the “terrorist operation was carried out by firing a short-range projectile with a warhead of about seven kilograms” from outside the house where Haniyeh was.
On Thursday, the New York Times, citing Middle Eastern officials, reported that Haniyeh had been killed by a remotely detonated bomb smuggled into the guesthouse about two months prior to Haniyeh's death.
The assassination has exacerbated the already fraught security situation in the Middle East. A surprise incursion into Israel by Hamas fighters last October elicited an Israeli ground operation in the enclave that has led to extensive destruction and thousands of deaths.
In reponse to the killing, Iran has vowed to mete out “harsh punishment” to Israel, while the Jewish state’s military has been put on high alert to face a potential attack. The US – Israel’s main ally – also announced it would send additional military assets to the region.
The previous major escalation between Israel and Iran in April resulted in Tehran launching a missile and drone strike at Israeli targets. Officials in West Jerusalem, however, claim that the damage from the attack was minimal.