We Were Not Aware, Nor Involved: Blinken

The U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken has stated that the United States was not involved in the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, according to Reuters. "This is something we were not aware of or involved in. It is very difficult to speculate," Blinken said in an interview with Channel News Asia during his visit to Singapore.

It is noteworthy that Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei issued an official response regarding the assassination of Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh early this morning in Tehran, promising that Iran would respond to the killing. In his statement, Khamenei wrote, "The criminal and terrorist Zionist regime has opened the way for severe punishment with this act. We consider it our duty to seek revenge for Ismail Haniyeh's blood, as the assassination took place on our soil."

In response to Haniyeh's assassination, Iran's newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian stated that the country would defend its territorial integrity and dignity. "Today, beloved Iran mourns the martyrdom of the brave leader of Palestine's resistance, Ismail Haniyeh. Yesterday, I was shaking his victorious hand, and today I have to carry his coffin on my shoulders. The bond between the proud peoples of Iran and Palestine will be stronger than ever, and the path of resistance and defense of the oppressed will be further strengthened," he wrote on X.

Pezeshkian emphasized that the Islamic Republic of Iran "will make the terrorist occupiers (referring to Israel) regret their cowardly act."

It is recalled that Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the Hamas political movement, was killed last night in Tehran. According to the Mehr agency, citing a statement from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), Haniyeh was killed during an attack on his residence. "The head of the Palestinian Hamas movement's political bureau, Ismail Haniyeh, has been martyred in Tehran," the statement reads. Reports indicate that one of Haniyeh's bodyguards was also killed in the attack. The circumstances of the incident are being clarified. The Hamas movement has confirmed the news of the political bureau chief's death in an official statement, blaming Israel for the act. The movement stated that the attack occurred after Haniyeh attended the inauguration ceremony of Iran's newly elected President Masoud Pezeshkian.