Not missile strike: NYT reveals how Hamas leader was eliminated

Five unnamed Middle Eastern officials told the news agency that the explosive device was planted in the guest house, which is managed and guarded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, about two months ago.

The sources added that the bomb was detonated remotely as soon as it was confirmed that Haniyeh was in his room in the guest house. The explosion also eliminated Haniyeh's bodyguard.

Haniyeh, according to the NYT, had stayed at this guest house several times during his visits to Tehran.

Journalists believe that those responsible for Haniyeh’s killing may have exploited a "gap" in the security system of the heavily guarded complex, allowing them to plant and conceal the bomb for weeks before it was used.

However, how the bomb ended up in the building remains unclear.

According to unnamed Iranian officials, this oversight represents a failure of Iranian intelligence and security and a huge disgrace for the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Two Iranian officials stated that the leader of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, Ziyad al-Nakhalah, was in a neighboring room, but his room was not seriously damaged. This indicates precise planning of the attack on Haniyeh.

What preceded it

It is worth noting that Ismail Haniyeh, who led Hamas's political office in Qatar, was killed during his visit to Tehran. There, he attended the inauguration of Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas terrorists immediately began accusing Israel of the incident. However, Israeli officials did not confirm involvement in Haniyeh's elimination.

At the same time, media reports emerged suggesting that the building where Haniyeh was located was struck by a missile launched from a drone or aircraft.

For more details about the Hamas leader who was killed in Iran, see the material by RBC-Ukraine.