Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said in a statement on Saturday that Hamas’s political chief, Ismail Haniyeh, was killed by a “short-range projectile” in Tehran, contradicting reports that he was killed by a planted explosive.
According to Iran’s PressTV, the IRGC said the “attack involved the use of a short-range projectile armed with a warhead weighing approximately seven kilograms, which subsequently caused a massive explosion.”
Haniyeh was killed while staying at a heavily guarded official guest house in Tehran during a visit for the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The New York Times and several other Western media reported he was killed by an explosive that was planted in the guest house by Israeli intelligence months earlier, but Hamas officials and eyewitnesses say a projectile hit the building.
“I was there, and the wall and ceiling of the place where he was were collapsed. It is clear from the appearance of the place after the attack, and from the body of the martyr leader Ismail Haniyeh, that the targeting was carried out by an air-dropped projectile,” Khaled Kaddoumi, Hamas’s representative in Iran, told The Cradle.
Discussing the reports of a bomb being planted in the building, Kaddoumi said, “The narrative published by The New York Times about Mossad agents planting explosive devices inside the apartment where Haniyeh stayed is completely fabricated … They are trying to evade responsibility and its consequences for Israel.”
Israel has a history of conducting covert attacks and assassinations inside Iran. Operations in recent years have involved gunmen, small quadcopter drones, and planted explosives at nuclear facilities.
Iran is vowing revenge for the killing of Haniyeh, and a major attack on Israeli territory is expected to happen soon. The US has deployed more military assets to the region and has said it will help defend Israel from any reprisal.
I believe the witnesses but I don’t understand how blaming Mossad in the first place absolves Israel. That is their spook agency. It sounds more like they are worried about being responsible for letting Mossad infiltrate a secure space, if a bomb could be planted in advance.
I think the idea was more to not connect it with negotiations that have been happening now.
I don’t see how they trust any negotiations with Israel going forward.
Digression into technical issue. Like arguing whether the Tde Teman bum-boys used pipes or elctric rods. All are acting on orders from BB.
What else do you expect from a zionist paper glorifying the Israel capabilities…?!
It never made any sense to me for a bomb to be planted in advance.
I agree.
As if two months ago they knew Haniyeh would stay in that building top room facing southwest…!
I thought it possible because there are CIA/Mossad infiltrators in Iran and the ME writ large. And the terrorist attack against commemoration of Qassem Soleimani, in Iran, alleged to be by Tajik, who were also accused of the terror attack in Moscow, appeared to have a western influence, perhaps backing.
On the other hand, the NYT either glorifies Israel or is a star apologist, so nearly anything they report on, US aligned wars, but especially conflict in the ME, should be taken skeptically. My mistake.
Well the planted bomb months in advance is a very embarrassing story. Both for the security folks and the housekeeping folks.
The story keep changing, but what does not change is how bad Iran looks. Iran knew that or should have known that Haniyeh was on Israel hit list. Of top 5 Hamas leaders that order the attack on Oct 7, four are gone. Only the coward
Sinwar is left. No doubt hiding under ground under some hospital or equal civilian building surrounded by hostages.
But just like Bin Laden his day will come.
The fact that you think Israel can have hit lists that allows them to ignore the sovereignty of other countries is mind numbing. Butcher Netanyahu addressed our congress. If he would have been assassinated here, would you be saying how bad the US looks, or would you be screaming for the US to bomb those responsible? And do you think Israel will be safer now or in the future by completing their "hit list"? You keep talking like you do when in reality they are creating more "terrorists" by the minute.
You lack of understanding of politics is mind numbering. Bin Laden was on the US hit list and the US ignore the sovereignty of Pakistan when they got him. As for Netanyahu it would have look very bad if the USA could not protect him in our country. Certainly the USA was aware that Palestinians and their supporters would like to take him out. He was protected. Iran also knew that Haniyeh was a target and they failed to protect him.
As for Israel being safer by killing a known killer, probably not. But you can not let killers go just because there are others killers out there. The leaders who started this war will pay the price, 4 out the big 5 so far. One more to go.
And "you" lack of understanding of what I said is equally mind numbing. I KNOW the US ignores international law and UN resolutions when it suits them. But, somehow pointing that out to me must make you think you're making a point. And you're way the fuck off with Netanyahu. My point wasn't about security, it was about what the US reaction would have been if a similar assassination HAD happened on our soil. Which gets back to my original thought on why the US and Israel aren't doing a preemptive strike on Iran. They know what Israel did would illicit the reaction they are anticipating because they would do the same god damn thing.
Your logic concerning why Israel should keep making new enemies daily just proves how backwards "you" thinking is. When number 5 is gone, then what? Israel won? Or do they have to be even more concerned about all the children they DIDN'T kill?
So the New York Times reported a planted Israeli/CIA bullshit claim to bolster Mossad. Is anyone surprised? Half the New York Times reporters are former Israelis or closet Zionists – if not CIA fronts themselves.