Khamenei vows to avenge Haniyeh's killing, promises 'harsh punishment' for Israel

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has condemned the killing of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, vowing to avenge his death and promising a "harsh punishment" for Israel.

Khamenei described Haniyeh as a "brave and prominent Palestinian mujahideen leader" who was "martyred" by the "criminal and terrorist Zionist regime"

“The brave and prominent Palestinian mujahideen leader Ismail Haniyeh joined Allah at dawn last night and the great resistance front is in mourning. The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime martyred our dear guest in our house and made us bereaved, but it also prepared the ground for a harsh punishment for itself," a statement issued by Irani authorities read.

"Martyr Haniyeh took his precious life in his hands for many years in the field of honorable struggle and was ready for martyrdom, and he had offered his children and people on this path. He was not afraid of becoming a martyr in the way of God and saving God’s servants, but we consider it our duty to avenge his blood in this bitter and difficult incident that happened in the territory of the Islamic Republic," it added.

The grand scholar offered condolences to the "Islamic ummah, the resistance front, and the Palestinian nation and especially to the family and survivors of Martyr Haniyeh'. 

"I ask God Almighty to raise their [Haniyeh ann his security guard] ranks.”

Haniyeh was killed in a missile attack on his residence in Tehran in the wee hours of Wednesday, along with one of his bodyguards, according to Iranian state media.

The Revolutionary Guards stated that the cause of the attack is under investigation and will be announced soon.

"Early this morning, the residence of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran was struck, resulting in his and one of his bodyguards' martyrdom. The cause is under investigation and will be announced soon," a statement issued by the IRGC read.

Haniyeh was in Tehran to attend the swearing-in ceremony of newly-elected Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian on Tuesday. 

His death was also confirmed by Hamas, who claimed that Haniyeh was killed in a "treacherous Zionist raid".

"The Islamic Resistance Movement Hamas mourns to our great Palestinian people, to the Arab and Islamic nation, and to all the free people of the world: Brother, leader, martyr, Mujahid Ismail Haniyeh," the Palestinian jihadist group said in a statement.

"The head of the movement, who was killed in a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran, after participating in the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president. To Allah we belong and to Him we shall return. And it is a jihad, victory or martyrdom," it added.

Senior Hamas official Moussa Abu Marzouk termed the killing of Haniyeh a "cowardly act" and vowed that it will not go unpunished. 

"The assassination of Ismail Haniyeh is a cowardly act that will not go unpunished," he said while talking to Al-Aqsa TV.

In a separate incident last night, Israel claimed to have assassinated a senior commander of Hezbollah in a targeted attack in southern Beirut.

However, the claims were denied by Hezbollah, who confirmed that their commander had survived the attack.