The circumstances surrounding the assassination of Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniya, who was killed on July 31 in the Iranian capital, Tehran, remain shrouded in mystery. Between reports suggesting explosive devices were planted in his heavily-guarded room at the "Guest House" complex and the Revolutionary Guard's claim that he was targeted by a short-range missile, the truth is still elusive. However, Abdel Salam Haniya, the son of the late political leader, has disclosed new information.
In an interview from Doha, Abdel Salam stated that his father was hit by a missile directed via his mobile phone. He said, "It was a guided missile that followed his mobile phone, which he placed at night in his room, right near his head which was struck directly." He also denied previous claims by some media outlets about the existence of a planted bomb, stating, "I believe the narrative of an explosive device is entirely baseless."
Moreover, he explained, "There were personal guards and other advisors sitting in a room just a few meters away from his room, so it is clear that if there had been an explosive device, the entire place would have been blown up." He emphasized that the Hamas leader’s mobile phone made him an easy target. He added, "My father was attending an official event and was carrying his mobile phone, so the operation was not overly complicated."
He clarified further, stating, "He was in a country to attend President Masoud Beijzhekian's inauguration alongside other delegations, thus the security measures cannot be compared to those in a concealed area without mobile phones." Additionally, he revealed that Haniya was continuously using his phone on that day, even using it at 10:15 PM on the night he was martyred. He concluded by suggesting that the strike was carried out under American cover.
It is worth noting that the Hamas leader was killed along with his personal guard on July 31, shortly after Beijzhekian's inauguration. At that time, the Revolutionary Guard announced that "a short-range projectile carrying around 7 kilograms (15 pounds) of explosives" was launched from outside the building. Iran blamed Israel for the incident, vowing a painful and decisive response, while the United States strongly denied any prior knowledge or involvement in the attack. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement.
