A report from Channel 12 revealed that Israel’s planned assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Hamiyeh on July 31 was almost foiled by a broken air conditioning unit. The operation in Tehran faced a last-minute hurdle when Haniyeh left his room to address the issue, leading to fears that he could be moved to a different location and derail the mission. Is.
Haniyeh’s name was placed higher on Israel’s target list after the events of October 7, 2023. Although he was primarily based in Qatar, removing him there could jeopardize the Doha-brokered hostage negotiations. Israel considered alternative locations – Turkey, Moscow and Tehran – but then rejected Turkey and Russia due to the possibility of diplomatic differences with their leaders. Therefore, Tehran became the ideal location for the mission.
Haniyeh often stayed at an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) guesthouse in Saadat Abad, a posh neighborhood in northern Tehran. Despite tight IRGC security, Israeli intelligence took advantage of the deep infiltration to carry out the attack.
The operation was initially aimed at targeting Haniyeh during his visit to Haniyeh for the funeral of former Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in May. But the mission was delayed due to other concerns. Israel relaunched the plans during Haniyeh’s return for the inauguration of Iranian President Massoud Pezeshkian.
The plan involved planting an improvised explosive device (IED) in Haniyeh’s room. However, just before the scheduled detonation, the room’s air conditioning unit broke down. As Hanieh turned out to request assistance, Israeli operatives feared he might be taken to another room, jeopardizing months of preparation. After a tense wait, the AC unit was fixed and Haniyeh returned.
At 1:30, the IED exploded, killing Haniyeh instantly and shaking the IRGC compound. Haniyeh’s deputy Khalil al-Haya reportedly cried after seeing the lifeless body of the Hamas leader.
The assassination embarrassed Iran, causing panic within the IRGC. As authorities investigated the breach, Ismail Qani, the head of the elite Quds Force, temporarily disappeared. Initially, Qaani informed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei that Haniyeh had been killed in a missile attack, but the real cause – a bomb – was soon revealed.
Iran delayed retaliating until October 1, when it launched a missile strike against Israel. However, the offensive was largely repulsed by Israeli, US and Jordanian forces.
Yahya Sinwar became Hamas Politburo chief after Ismail Haniyeh. Sinwar’s tenure was short-lived, as he was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza on 16 October.
