Iran Arrests Senior Officials Over Assassination of Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

Iran has arrested over two dozen individuals, including senior intelligence officers, military officials, and staff at a military-run guesthouse in Tehran, following the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. The explosion, which occurred early Wednesday, killed Haniyeh while he was visiting Tehran for the inauguration of Iran’s new president.

Haniyeh, the former head of Hamas’s political office in Qatar, was staying at a heavily guarded compound in northern Tehran. The attack underscores a severe security lapse, happening shortly after the president’s swearing-in ceremony. The arrested individuals are suspected of involvement in facilitating the breach that led to Haniyeh’s death.

Ali Vaez, Iran director for the International Crisis Group, remarked that the assassination challenges the perception of Iran’s ability to safeguard its key allies, indicating potential vulnerabilities to adversaries. Iranian and Hamas officials, along with several U.S. officials, have accused Israel of orchestrating the attack, although Israel has not claimed responsibility. Officials revealed that the bomb might have been planted in Haniyeh’s room up to two months before his arrival. The Revolutionary Guards Corps’ specialized intelligence unit has taken over the investigation, focusing on identifying the assassination team. Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has promised severe retaliation against those responsible.

The incident, which also killed Haniyeh’s Palestinian bodyguard, has led to increased security measures, especially after Haniyeh’s recent meeting with Khamenei. During his funeral, Khamenei was surrounded by an unusually tight security detail. The covert conflict between Iran and Israel has been marked by numerous assassinations and sabotage operations. In response to Haniyeh’s assassination, Iranian security agents have quarantined guesthouse staff, confiscated electronic devices, and arrested senior military and intelligence officials.

The investigation is also scrutinizing surveillance footage and flight lists from Tehran’s airports, suspecting that Mossad operatives may still be in the country. A Revolutionary Guards member indicated that security protocols have been overhauled, with changes to senior officials’ security details and electronic equipment.

Former President Hassan Rouhani emphasized that Israel’s assassination of Haniyeh aimed to destabilize Iran at the start of a new government, stressing the need for cooperation among all security branches to counter the threat.