Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh killed in Tehran, hours after strike on Hezbollah commander in Beirut

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in the early hours of July 31 in Tehran, Hamas and Iran's Revolutionary Guards said. According to them, the attack targeted the residence where he was staying; one of his bodyguards was also killed. Israel has not commented on the attack.

Haniyeh had attended the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, the previous day. As head of Hamas's political wing, he lived mostly in Qatar and was one of the main interlocutors in indirect talks on a ceasefire and hostage exchange in Gaza.

Two strikes in under 24 hours

Just hours earlier, on July 30, the Israeli military carried out a strike on Beirut's southern suburbs and said it had killed Fuad Shukr, a senior Hezbollah military commander. Israel blamed him for the July 27 rocket attack on Majdal Shams in the occupied Golan Heights, which killed 12 children and teenagers. Hezbollah denied responsibility for that attack.