Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh Killed
Ismail Haniyeh, chairman of Hamas’s political bureau and longtime terrorizer of Israel, was killed in Iran early on Wednesday morning (31st). Haniyeh was staying in his Tehran guest house when he and one of his bodyguards were killed by a missile strike. A Hamas social media channel attributed the killing to a “treacherous Zionist raid.” Israel did not immediately comment, though it acknowledged its target killing of senior Hezbollah official Fu’ad Shukar in Beirut, Lebanon, hours earlier.
Though he was not considered as deeply involved in planning the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks as Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar was, Haniyeh, as one of the faces of Hamas, has been on Israel’s wanted list since then. Since 2019 he primarily has lived luxuriously in Qatar, far from the Palestinians in Gaza he represents. His appearance in Tehran provided an opening (presumably for Israel) to eliminate him, causing many in the West to rejoice at the death of one of Hamas’s primary figures. It also raised security concerns for Iran, who were powerless to stop the targeted killing.
Death is bitter and not a cause for celebration, but Haniyeh received justice, bringing Israel closer to its goal of eliminating Hamas’s organization. Iran must be alarmed by the ability of Hamas’s enemies to launch a missile into its land as simply as they did. If Israel is indeed responsible for the killing, the nation has gained an advantage by striking fear into their opponents’ hearts. May God protect Israel and bring this war to a swift end, with minimal further bloodshed and a lasting solution toward security for the Jewish nation.
