Ismail Haniyeh was killed by bomb planted months before blast, claims NYK Times

The explosion that killed Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and his bodyguard early Wednesday was caused by a sophisticated, remote-controlled bomb, according to a report by The New York Times.

The device had been smuggled into Haniyeh's room at a Tehran guesthouse approximately two months prior to the incident. This contradicts earlier reports, including those from the IRGC's Tasnim news agency, which suggested a missile was responsible for the attack.

The report cited one American and seven Middle Eastern officials, including two members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It also indicated that officials from the United States and the Middle East believe Israel was behind the assassination.

The blast occurred while Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's newly elected president, Masoud Pezeshkian.

Three Iranian officials described the assassination as a significant embarrassment for the IRGC, which oversees the guesthouse where Haniyeh and other dignitaries were staying. The precision of the explosion, which shattered windows and collapsed a portion of the wall but caused minimal damage to the building, suggests meticulous planning.

This further supports the theory that the blast was not the result of a missile strike, as a missile would likely have caused more extensive damage and faced challenges penetrating Iran's air defenses.

Notably, the room next to Haniyeh's, occupied by Palestinian Islamic Jihad leader Ziad Nakhaleh, was not badly damaged, underscoring the targeted nature of the attack. While Jerusalem has not confirmed or denied involvement, Iran has vowed to retaliate against Israel for the assassination.