Tehran, Iran – Thousands gathered on Thursday in the streets of Tehran to mourn the death of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed in a strike in the Iranian capital. The attack, which took place early Wednesday morning, has been attributed to Israel by Iranian officials, further escalating tensions in a region already on edge from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader, led prayers for Haniyeh during a ceremony at Tehran University before his body was transported for burial in Qatar. The funeral procession was marked by crowds waving Palestinian flags and chanting slogans against Israel and the United States.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards confirmed Haniyeh’s death, stating that he and his bodyguard were killed in a targeted strike on their accommodation at 2:00 am. The incident occurred just hours after Israel had assassinated Fuad Shukr, a top Hezbollah commander, in Beirut. These back-to-back incidents have fueled fears of a broader regional conflict.
Israeli officials have not commented on the strike in Tehran, but Iranian leaders have vowed retaliation. President Masoud Pezeshkian and General Hossein Salami, chief of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, were present at the funeral, underscoring the significance of Haniyeh’s death to the Iranian leadership. During the ceremony, Khalil al-Hayya, a senior Hamas figure, reaffirmed the movement’s commitment to the destruction of Israel, stating that Haniyeh’s legacy would endure.
Iranian officials, including parliamentary speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, have echoed calls for revenge, with Ghalibaf stating that the nation will act at the “right time and in the right place.” Khamenei also emphasized the need to avenge Haniyeh’s death, framing it as a religious duty.
The international community has expressed concern over the escalating violence. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described the situation as a “dangerous escalation” and called for a ceasefire in Gaza, which Haniyeh had been advocating before his death. Qatar, a key mediator in the Israel-Hamas negotiations, has also voiced concerns that Haniyeh’s assassination could derail ongoing efforts for peace.
The recent events have exacerbated regional tensions, with Iran-backed militant groups in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen potentially poised to retaliate. Yemen’s Houthi rebels have already declared three days of mourning for Haniyeh and extended their condolences to Hamas.
As Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, the killing of Haniyeh is seen by some as a strategic misstep that could complicate efforts to secure a hostage-prisoner exchange. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to dismantle Hamas in response to the October 7 attack that left over 1,000 civilians dead and resulted in the capture of hundreds of hostages by Hamas.
With no official confirmation from Israel on the strike that killed Haniyeh, the situation remains tense, and the possibility of further violence looms large as Iran and its allies prepare their next moves.
