For some he was a “symbol of resistance”, for most a terrorist. Now Hamas leader Ismail Haniya has been killed by a rocket in Tehran. How will the Middle East react?
In April, three of his sons and three grandchildren died in an Israeli air strike in the Gaza Strip. Ismael Haniya coolly commented on the loss: They died fighting against Israel as “martyrs of Palestine”. Now, four months later, a quote from Haniya is making the rounds on relevant Telegram channels: The responsibility for the Palestinian cause is heavy. But he is ready to take it on as a “martyr of Palestine”.
Rocket hit at 2am
The self-glorifying interview excerpt is of course not circulating on the Internet without reason. Apparently, Ismael Haniya, head of the Hamas political bureau, was killed in an air strike in Tehran. According to a Saudi Arabian newspaper, a guided missile hit the house where the terror leader was staying – a residence for war veterans – at 2 a.m. local time.
Ismael Haniya is the highest-ranking Hamas member to have been killed since the terrorist attacks on October 7. Israel had expressly announced its intention to eliminate him and other leaders. The 62-year-old was born in the Gaza Strip and won the last election there in 2006 as Hamas’ top candidate. In recent years, Haniya has lived luxuriously in Qatar. According to reports, he has a fortune in the billions.
Hamas leader Haniya was in favor of inauguration in Iran
In Tehran, the Hamas leader attended the inauguration of Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian. He was joined by 85 other guests from abroad.
It is still unclear who is behind the attack, but everything points to Israel – so far no one from Tel Aviv has commented on his death.
The first reactions from the Middle East are sharp:
- TheIran condemns the attack in the strongest possible terms: “The pure blood of the holy and honorable warrior Ismail Haniya was undoubtedly not shed in vain,” said Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani. Iranian President Massoud Peseschkian said that Iran would ensure that “the terrorist occupiers regret their cowardly act.” Israel is also referred to in Iran as the occupier of Palestinian territory.
- Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbaswho is in charge in the West Bank, condemns the killing of Hamas leader Ismail Haniya in Tehran. This was reported by the Palestinian news agency Wafa. The factions in the Palestinian territory are calling for a general strike and mass demonstrations.
- Hanija “was one of the great resistance fighters of our time, who courageously resisted US domination and Zionist occupation,” says Hezbollah in Lebanon He was prepared to die for the cause he believed in. Through his death, “resistance fighters in all theaters” would fight even more determinedly and “strengthen their will to confront the Zionist enemy.”
- The Iran-allied Houthi militia in Yemen calls the attack a “heinous terrorist crime,” said Mohammed Ali al-Huthi, a member of the Politburo on the online service X. Since November, the Houthis have repeatedly attacked merchant ships in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden with alleged links to Israel.
- Turkey accuses Israel of wanting to expand the Gaza war in the region. It has been shown once again that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has no intention of achieving peace, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
- The USA According to Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, they would defend their ally Israel in the event of an attack. With regard to the increasing tensions in the Middle East, Austin said during a visit to the Philippines that he did not believe a major war in the region was inevitable.
What will happen next is not yet clear. The National Security Council is meeting in Tehran and will probably discuss further action and possible reactions. It is also unclear how Haniya’s death will affect the ceasefire talks between Israel and Hamas, as well as those for which he was responsible.
Hezbollah commander dies in Beirut
Just a few hours before the attack on Ismael Haniya, the high-ranking Hezbollah commander, Fuad Shukr, was killed in an Israeli air strike in Lebanon. A few days ago, the terrorist militia had attacked a soccer field in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights with a rocket, killing twelve children.
Sources: DPA, AFP, Reuters
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
