A military representative from the U.S. informed Fox News that the American forces had “no involvement” in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
It is still uncertain whether the U.S. was aware of the operation prior to Haniyeh’s death in an airstrike at his home in Tehran on Wednesday, where he had been attending the inauguration of the country’s new president. U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was unable to confirm whether Israel was responsible for the strike or if military intelligence had provided prior warnings.
“I don’t have any information to share on that topic. We’ve certainly seen the reports, but I don’t have any further details,” Austin told reporters in Subic Bay, Philippines. He added that the U.S. government aims to reduce tensions but will support Israel if the nation comes under attack.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard confirmed on Wednesday that Haniyeh was killed. While no party has officially claimed responsibility for the assassination, suspicions have fallen on Israel, which has expressed intentions to dismantle Hamas’ leadership following the terror attacks on October 7. On that day, Hamas launched an incursion into southern Israel, resulting in the deaths of 1,200 individuals and the capture of nearly 250 hostages, igniting the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
HAMAS LEADER ISMAIL HANIYEH REPORTEDLY ASSASSINATED
Ismail Haniyeh speaks during a press conference in Tehran, Iran, on March 26, 2024. (Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency/Reuters)
On Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces reported conducting a strike in Beirut aimed at a Hezbollah commander implicated in a recent attack that resulted in the deaths of 12 Israeli children and teenagers on a soccer field in the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. Both Israel and the U.S. attributed responsibility to Hezbollah, though the group has denied these allegations.
Israel had promised a response to the attack. The airstrike in Beirut resulted in the death of Hezbollah’s military commander, Fawad Shah, who U.S. officials claim was involved in the 1983 bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 American servicemen.
“Hezbollah’s ongoing aggression and brutal attacks are drawing Lebanon and the entire Middle East into a larger conflict. While we prefer resolving hostilities without escalating the situation further, the IDF is fully prepared for any outcome,” IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari stated.
With Haniyeh’s death, the head of Hamas’ political bureau is now gone. Although Yahya Sinwar, Hamas’ leader in Gaza, is believed to have orchestrated the October 7 attacks, Haniyeh had celebrated them as a significant defeat for Israel’s perceived strength.
IRANIAN LEADER KHAMENEI SAYS IT’S A ‘DUTY TO TAKE REVENGE’ AFTER HANIYEH ASSASSINATION
Ismail Haniyeh (L), the Doha-based political bureau chief of Hamas, speaks to the press after a meeting with Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian (R) in Tehran on March 26, 2024. (AFP via Getty Images)
“The Al-Aqsa flood was an earthquake that hit the heart of the Zionist entity and initiated significant changes on a global scale,” Haniyeh remarked during a speech in Iran at the funeral of the late Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi in May.
“We will persist in our resistance against this adversary until we liberate our territory, all of our territory,” Haniyeh declared.
Following the events of October 7, Haniyeh appeared in a video released by Hamas, leading prayers alongside other senior officials in the organization, expressing gratitude for the successes of their violent acts against Israeli civilians.
Israel’s Heritage Minister Amihai Eliyahu remarked that Haniyeh’s death “makes the world a slightly better place.”
“This is the right path to cleanse the world of this filth,” he stated in a release. “No more fabricated agreements for ‘peace,’ no more mercy for these mortals. The iron fist that strikes them will bring peace and some comfort, strengthening our ability to coexist peacefully with those who seek peace.”
HAMAS LEADER HANIYEH ASSASSINATION: FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS CONDEMN ATTACK
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei pledged revenge following the assassination in a statement on Wednesday.
“The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime has martyred our beloved guest in our land and caused us sorrow, but it has also set the stage for severe punishment against itself,” Khamenei stated.
“Martyr Haniyeh was prepared to sacrifice his honorable life in this noble battle for many years. He had offered his loved ones and children along this path. He was unafraid of martyrdom in the name of God and to safeguard the lives of God’s servants. Yet, in light of this tragic event that occurred within the Islamic Republic, we deem it our duty to seek revenge.”
Five years ago, Haniyeh left the Gaza Strip and had been living in self-imposed exile in Qatar.
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An Israeli airstrike in April resulted in the deaths of three of Haniyeh’s sons and four of his grandchildren in Gaza.
As reported by the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry, over 39,000 Palestinians have died and more than 90,000 have been injured in the ongoing conflict in Gaza, although this count does not distinguish between combatants and civilians.
Fox News’ Liz Friden and Lucas Tomlinson, along with Fox News Digital’s Landon Mion and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
