Hamas Leader Visiting For Inauguration Of New Iranian President Assassinated In Alleged Israeli Airstrike, Revolutionary Guard Confirms Strike (UPDATED)

Editor's note: This story has been updated with additional context regarding recent conflicts between Israel and Hamas to provide a better understanding for our readers.

The leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, was assassinated in Tehran, Iran. The group has accused Israel of orchestrating the attack.

What Happened: The Hamas leader was killed in an airstrike in Tehran. The paramilitary Revolutionary Guard of Iran confirmed the news on Wednesday, reported Associated Press.

Israel has been vocal about its intentions to eliminate Haniyeh and other Hamas leaders following the group’s attack on Israel on Oct. 7, which resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the capture of 250 others.

Hamas declared Haniyeh a martyr, stating he was killed in a “Zionist airstrike.” The group also quoted him on the costs of the Palestinian cause.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, on Tuesday. Hamas has declared Haniyeh a martyr and stated that the Palestinian cause is worth the sacrifice.

Israeli military spokespersons have not yet commented on the incident. There has been no immediate reaction from the White House. The Biden administration has been pushing for a cease-fire and hostage-release deal between Hamas and Israel.

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Why It Matters: Haniyeh’s assassination comes at a critical time. The Biden administration has been actively involved in efforts to broker a ceasefire and secure the release of hostages taken by Hamas during the Oct. 7 attack. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris recently met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Washington to discuss these issues.

Israel has been intensifying its attacks in Gaza and southern Lebanon, leading up to Netanyahu’s visit to the U.S. Congress.

Fuad Shukr, head of Hezbollah's operations center, ordered the attack in which the group fired an Iranian Falaq-1 rocket directly at a soccer field in northern Israel on Saturday evening, resulting in the deaths of 12 children, according to Israel Defense Forces military spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari.

Furthermore, ahead of U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's visit to the Middle East, a senior Hamas official urged the U.S. to pressure Israel to halt the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

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This story was generated using Benzinga Neuro and edited by Kaustubh Bagalkote