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According to CCTV News on August 3, on August 2 local time, Hamas representative to Iran Khalid Kaddoumi disclosed some details of the assassination of Hamas leader Haniyeh in an interview with foreign media.

Khalid Kaddoumi said that on the night of the attack on Haniyeh, the building where they lived suddenly began to shake at about 1:37 a.m., and thick smoke came out of some buildings. Then, they went to Haniyeh's room on the 4th floor, where the walls and ceiling had collapsed.

He pointed out that judging from Haniya's body, the attack was obviously from "an object in the air." But he said that no further details could be disclosed at present because Iran's technical team was conducting a detailed investigation and the results of the investigation would be announced later.

Khalid Kaddoumi said that Israel planned and carried out the attack with the knowledge and consent of the United States. Therefore, the US government is an accomplice to this crime, and Netanyahu received permission from the United States to commit this crime during his visit to Washington.

Khalid Kaddoumi also refuted the claims made by the US and Israeli media that a bomb was planted under Haniyeh's bed, calling them "distortions of the facts" and contradictory to the Israeli narrative, which is intended to deny Israel's direct responsibility and allow it to escape the consequences of this crime.

File photo of Hamas leader Haniyeh being assassinated in Iran (Source: Global Times)

Previously, many US media reported that Haniyeh, who was assassinated in Tehran, the capital of Iran two days ago, did not die in an air strike, but was killed by a bomb hidden in the hotel where he was staying. The explosive device was installed about two months before the incident and was detonated by remote control.

According to a report by Reference News citing the US Axios news website on August 1, two sources confirmed that the Israeli Intelligence and Secret Service (Mossad) assassinated Hamas leader Haniyeh and that Mossad placed an explosive device in the bedroom of his residence in Tehran.

The New York Times reported that officials from Iran, the United States and other countries revealed that the bomb used in the assassination was smuggled into a hotel in northern Tehran about two months ago. The hotel is operated and guarded by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran, and Haniyeh has stayed there many times. At around 2 a.m. local time on July 31, after confirming that Haniyeh was in the room, the explosive device was remotely detonated, killing Haniyeh and a bodyguard.

Photos attached to the report showed that some of the windows of the hotel believed to be the site where Haniyeh was assassinated were broken, one of the exterior walls partially collapsed and covered with green tarpaulin, with no signs of being hit by a missile.

Hamas Political Bureau Chairman Haniyeh attended the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Massoud Pezerhicyan in Tehran on July 30 and was assassinated in the early morning of the next day. Hamas issued a statement that day saying that Haniyeh was killed in an airstrike. Iranian media initially reported that a drone launched three missiles, and then said that the missiles were launched from outside Iran.

The New York Times reported on August 1 that Iranian media at the time quoted some witnesses as saying that they saw a missile-like object hit the window of Haniyeh's room and exploded. Some reports inferred that Haniyeh might have died from a missile launched by a drone.

Both the Iranian government and Hamas believe that the assassination was carried out by Israel. In the latest report of the US media, several US officials who were interviewed on condition of anonymity also agreed with this judgment. The report said that an unnamed Iranian official revealed that preliminary investigations showed that the accuracy of the explosive device was similar to the artificial intelligence remote-controlled weapon used by Israel to assassinate Iranian nuclear physicist Mohsen Fakhrizadeh in 2020.

It is still unclear how the explosive device was smuggled into the hotel. Some officials in the Middle East said the assassination had been planned for months.

On August 1, Iran held a memorial service for Haniyeh (Source: CCTV News)

Israel has not publicly acknowledged the assassination. However, some officials from Middle Eastern countries said that Israeli intelligence officials immediately informed the US and other Western governments of the details of the operation after the assassination. On the day of the assassination, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken claimed to the outside world that the US had no prior knowledge of the assassination.

The US Axios news website reported that the assassination was carried out by the Israeli Intelligence and Secret Service (Mossad). Mossad Director David Barnea said in January this year that Mossad had an "obligation" to hunt down Hamas leaders.

Israel has long occupied Palestinian territory and blockaded the Gaza Strip. On October 7 last year, Hamas attacked southern Israel from the Gaza Strip, killing nearly 1,200 people. Israel then launched a large-scale military operation in Gaza, killing more than 39,300 Palestinians so far.

According to the New York Times, Haniyeh was the leader of Hamas' negotiations on a ceasefire agreement. His assassination will not only affect the ceasefire negotiations, but may also trigger a new wave of violent conflicts in the Middle East.

Further reading

Niu Tanqin: Israel killed its most wanted enemy Iran and made the whole world laugh at it

It has to be said that Israel is Israel.

Everyone knows that Hamas's top leader Haniyeh is likely to be killed by Israel, but many people never expected that Haniyeh would be killed in his residence in Tehran, Iran.

One of his bodyguards was also killed.

Who did it?

No need to ask, Israel!

But Israel, as usual, neither denied nor acknowledged it.The Israeli government’s press office quickly posted a photo of Haniyeh on social media with the words “killed”.

Everything is clear.

In fact, during the Paris Olympics, on the same day, July 31, Israel also launched an air strike on Beirut, killing Hezbollah senior leader Shukur and injuring dozens of people.

The two attacks, especially the successful hunting down of the top leader of Hamas, at least killed three birds with one stone.

First, the heavy blow to Hamas also fully demonstrated Israel's ruthless means, no matter how far away you are, you will be punished. Even if you are the top leader of Hamas, you can't escape Israel's black hand.

Second, the attack in Tehran is a serious warning to Iran. Don't forget that just a few hours ago, Haniyeh met with Iran's top leaders. Are they also in the hands of Mossad?

Third, it is a deterrent to other anti-Israel armed groups. Look at the fate of Haniyeh and Shukur. If they continue to oppose Israel, Israel will hunt them down to the end.

Haniyeh met with Khamenei before assassination

Of course, for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, this is an even greater victory.

Netanyahu is in a bad situation now. Most Israelis dislike him and protests are ongoing. He knows very well that if he is driven out of office, he will be investigated by relevant departments and may end up in jail.

Now, with the strength at the front, I suddenly hunted down the enemy I wanted to kill the most, which was naturally a great joy.

Netanyahu immediately spoke out, and put it bluntly:Anyone who harms our children, anyone who murders our fellow citizens and harms our country will pay with their lives, and any act of aggression against Israel will pay a heavy price.

It refers to both Haniyeh and Shukur, and is also a clear warning to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s recent “invasion of Israel.”

Last year, Hamas attacked Israel, and Israel subsequently launched a massacre in Gaza. Now Haniyeh has also been killed. Hezbollah rockets killed more than a dozen Druze children, and Israel immediately launched an air strike on Beirut, eliminating Shukur, an important Hezbollah leader.

In the Middle East, Israel is indeed not someone to be trifled with.

For Haniya, this ending is indeed regrettable.

If he stayed in Qatar, he would actually be safe, because Israel had made a clear promise to Qatar that it would never launch an assassination in Qatar.

Considering the overall situation of Israel-Qatar relations, Israel generally abided by the agreement. Therefore, although Israel hates Haniyeh, Haniyeh has been in Qatar for many years and is safe and sound.

But he went to Iran to attend the inauguration ceremony of the new Iranian president in person, and thus stepped into dangerous territory.

This is a major negligence and shame for Iran.

Haniyeh is such an important figure, and the whole world knows that he is Israel's number one target. He was doing nothing in Qatar, but he was killed by Israel in Tehran, the capital of Iran.

From another perspective, it is even more evident how deeply Mossad has infiltrated Iran. They fully grasped Haniyeh's exact whereabouts and chose the best time to assassinate him.

What will be the consequences?

First, Hamas is more sad and angry, but it is unlikely to collapse.

They must be sad and angry that the top leader was killed in this way.

Before he was assassinated, like many Palestinians in Gaza, he had also experienced the pain of losing his loved ones. Israel's indiscriminate bombing had claimed the lives of his three sons and four grandchildren.

But will Hamas collapse?

A little bit, but not at all.

Because Hamas is not only an organization, but also an ideology.

I remember when I was working in Jerusalem more than 20 years ago, the Sharon government of Israel also launched a massive attack, killing the spiritual leader of Hamas, Yassin, in a few strokes, and then quickly killing Yassin's successor, Rantisi.

Has Hamas collapsed?

One person falls, and more people stand up with hatred.

Although Haniyeh is the supreme leader and has served as the Prime Minister of Palestine, he has more political influence; the actual military command of Hamas is in the hands of Sinwar and others in the Gaza tunnels.

They will never surrender. Even if they are killed, there will be more to take their place.

Second, Iran is very angry and will inevitably retaliate.

Indeed, Iran has made a fool of itself around the world.

Our own nuclear scientists were assassinated one after another in our own country; now, a guest from afar was bombed to death in his residence in Tehran.

What does security do?

But that's the reality.

Iran, oh Iran, the infiltration of Mossad in Iran is shocking; the methods of Israeli agents are cruel and ruthless.

Certainly, Iran will launch a campaign to catch spies, but can they really catch the murderer?

All we can say is it’s better to mend the fold before the sheep are lost.

But Iran is bound to retaliate.

I saw that the angry Iranian Supreme Leader Khamenei strongly condemned Israel's actions and ordered Iran to retaliate directly against Israel.

He said: "You have killed our honored guest in our house, thus paving the way for severe revenge on you. It is our duty to avenge the blood of our honored guest."

Gaza is in ruins after Israeli attack

Third, more blood and gore.

Israel considers assassinations in a country as revenge and counter-terrorism; but from another perspective, isn't this also state terrorism?

Where is international law?

Poor thing, international law is in the books.

So, we see that after the incident, except for the United States pretending to know nothing, countries around the world, including China and Russia, have condemned the assassination and are worried about the further deterioration of the situation.

After all, Haniyeh was a key figure in the ceasefire negotiations between Palestine and Israel. If he was targeted and eliminated, who would they talk to? Who would be willing to talk?

Qatari Prime Minister Al-Thani denounced:"How can mediation succeed when one side assassinates the other's negotiator? Peace requires serious partnerships and a global stand against the disregard for human life."

But this may be exactly what Netanyahu wants!

They didn't want to talk in the first place, and now they are even more unscrupulous and can kill as much as they want. They will completely wipe out Hamas in Gaza and strangle Hezbollah in the north. The more tense the situation is, the safer they are.

Bloody storm! Bloody storm! Bloody storm!

The Middle East is full of tigers and wolves, when will the cycle of revenge end?