Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran by a bomb planted months in advance, according to a report by The New York Times. The explosive device was smuggled into a guesthouse in Tehran two months before the assassination. The guesthouse, called Neshat, is located in a prestigious area of northern Tehran and operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC).
Seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians and an American, confirmed that Haniyeh was killed by an explosive device placed in the guesthouse. He was in Tehran for Iran’s new president’s inauguration when the bomb was remotely detonated. Five officials confirmed that the explosion also killed one of Haniyeh’s bodyguards.
Haniyeh, who led Hamas’s political bureau from Qatar, often stayed at the Neshat guesthouse during Tehran visits. Sources revealed that the assassination was meticulously planned and executed over several months, requiring extensive surveillance of the compound.
Iranian and Hamas officials accused Israel of orchestrating the assassination. Several US officials, who wished to remain anonymous, echoed this assessment. Although Israel has not publicly claimed responsibility, Israeli intelligence reportedly briefed the US and other Western governments about the operation shortly after it occurred.
Immediately after the assassination, speculation swirled that Haniyeh was killed by a missile strike, similar to the attack on a military base in Isfahan in April. These theories raised questions about how Israeli forces might have evaded Iranian air defenses to conduct an airstrike in Tehran.
Instead, the attack exposed vulnerabilities in Iran’s security apparatus. The bomb was hidden within a supposedly secure compound and remained undetected for weeks. Three Iranian officials described the breach as a catastrophic failure of intelligence and security, embarrassing the IRGC. The compound is frequently used for secret meetings and as a residence for prominent guests.
The Iranian state news agency, Tasnim, quoted eyewitnesses saying something resembling a missile struck Haniyeh’s room window, causing the blast. Two Iranian officials, speaking anonymously, confirmed that the IRGC briefed them about the attack, stating that the explosion occurred inside Haniyeh’s room.
They suggested that the explosive device was planted well in advance. They noted that the operation resembled the remote-controlled AI robotic weaponry tactics Israel used in the 2020 assassination of Iranian nuclear scientist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh. The New York Times reported that Israel’s Mossad is believed to have been behind the attack.
Mossad Chief David Barnea stated in January that his agency’s resources were dedicated to targeting Hamas leadership. “I will take my time, but wherever they are, our hands will reach them,” Barnea said.
