Iran Holds Funeral Processions for Hamas Leader Ismail Haniyeh

Iran held funeral processions on Thursday for Ismail Haniyeh, the political chief of Hamas, following his death in a strike in Tehran, which Iran has blamed on Israel.

Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran’s supreme leader, led the prayers for Haniyeh before his body was transported to Doha for burial. In a statement, Khamenei threatened “harsh punishment” in response to the killing.

Large crowds, holding posters of Haniyeh and Palestinian flags, gathered at Tehran University to mourn the leader. The atmosphere was somber, with many expressing anger and grief over the attack.

The Iranian Revolutionary Guards announced Haniyeh’s death, stating that he and his bodyguard were killed in a strike on their accommodation in Tehran at 2:00 am local time (2230 GMT) on Wednesday. The incident followed just hours after Israel killed top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut, escalating tensions in the region.

Israel has not commented on the strike in Tehran, but the incident has raised concerns about a potential wider conflict in the Middle East.