Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated early Wednesday morning in Iran, the Palestinian militant group said. Haniyeh and his bodyguard died when their residence was targeted. He was in Tehran for the swearing-in ceremony of Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Hamas expressed its grief, stating, “The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas mourns the loss to our esteemed Palestinian people, the Arab and Islamic nations, and all supporters of freedom worldwide. We honor Brother, leader, martyr, Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of our movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran.”

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed the strike on Haniyeh’s residence but did not provide details on how Haniyeh was killed, stating that the incident is under investigation.

This assassination follows a conflict that erupted after Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, killing 1,200 people and capturing over 200. Israel’s subsequent military response has resulted in significant Palestinian casualties, with at least 39,400 killed and around 91,000 injured.