Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in of Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian. The group's statement read, "Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president."

A senior Hamas official declared that Haniyeh's killing "will not go unanswered." Hamas political bureau member Musa Abu Marzuk condemned the assassination as a cowardly act that would not go unpunished.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards also confirmed Haniyeh's death, stating that his residence in Tehran was "hit" and he was killed along with a bodyguard. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to the incident. Israel had vowed to kill Haniyeh and dismantle Hamas following the October 7 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,400 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Haniyeh was elected head of the Hamas political bureau in 2017, succeeding Khaled Meshaal. Known as a pragmatist, Haniyeh lived in exile, splitting his time between Turkey and Qatar. During the war, he traveled on diplomatic missions to Iran and Turkey, meeting with both Turkish and Iranian presidents.

Haniyeh maintained good relations with leaders of various Palestinian factions, including rivals to Hamas. He joined Hamas in 1987 when the militant group was founded during the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation, which lasted until 1993.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in of Iran's president, Masoud Pezeshkian. The group's statement read, "Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president."

A senior Hamas official declared that Haniyeh's killing "will not go unanswered." Hamas political bureau member Musa Abu Marzuk condemned the assassination as a cowardly act that would not go unpunished.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards also confirmed Haniyeh's death, stating that his residence in Tehran was "hit" and he was killed along with a bodyguard. The Israeli army did not immediately respond to the incident. Israel had vowed to kill Haniyeh and dismantle Hamas following the October 7 attack that resulted in the deaths of 1,195 people, mostly civilians.

Israel's retaliatory military campaign in Gaza has killed at least 39,400 people, according to the health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.

Haniyeh was elected head of the Hamas political bureau in 2017, succeeding Khaled Meshaal. Known as a pragmatist, Haniyeh lived in exile, splitting his time between Turkey and Qatar. During the war, he traveled on diplomatic missions to Iran and Turkey, meeting with both Turkish and Iranian presidents.

Haniyeh maintained good relations with leaders of various Palestinian factions, including rivals to Hamas. He joined Hamas in 1987 when the militant group was founded during the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising, against Israeli occupation, which lasted until 1993.