(The Age, 1/8/2024)
Surprised he lasted as long as he did with Israel determined to murder every Palestinian whether innocent or guilty – Mark
Tehran: Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in the early hours of the morning in Iran, the terrorist group said on Wednesday, drawing fears of a wider escalation in a region shaken by Israel’s war in Gaza and a worsening conflict in Lebanon.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed the death of Haniyeh, hours after he attended the swearing-in ceremony for the country’s new president, and said it was investigating. He was assassinated at 2am (8.30am AEST), Iranian media reported, adding he was staying in “a special residence for war veterans in north Tehran”.
There was no immediate comment from Israel. The Israeli military said it was conducting a situational assessment but had not issued any new security guidelines for civilians.
Hamas said Haniyeh had been killed “in a Zionist airstrike on his residence in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of Iran’s new president”.
“Hamas declares, to the great Palestinian people and the people of the Arab and Islamic nations and all the free people of the world, brother leader Ismail Haniyeh a martyr,” the terse statement said.
US Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin said Washington would work to try to ease tensions but said the United States would help defend Israel if it were attacked. Russia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov described the killing as “absolutely unacceptable political murder” and warned it would lead to “further escalation of tensions”.
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