Israeli army claims it did not conduct airstrike on day of assassination of Hamas' Haniyeh

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) - The Israeli army claimed on Thursday that it did not conduct any airstrike on any Middle Eastern country on Wednesday, when Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was assassinated in Iran's capital Tehran.

The denial comes amid US media reports claiming that Haniyeh was assassinated with a bomb planted by Israel's spy agency Mossad.

"We did not attack Iran from the air," military spokesperson Daniel Hagari told the media regarding Haniyeh's assassination.

"We struck on Tuesday night in Lebanon and killed Fuad Shukr in an accurate aerial strike.

"I want to emphasize, there was no other aerial strike, not a missile and not an Israeli drone, in the entire Middle East that night," he added, according to Israeli daily The Times of Israel.

Hamas and Iran announced on Wednesday morning that Haniyeh was killed in an Israeli airstrike targeting his residence in Tehran shortly after his participation in the inauguration of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

Initial Iranian reports suggested that Haniyeh was targeted by a missile strike, but news website Axios reported on Thursday that the assassination was carried out by the Mossad "by detonating an explosive device planted in advance in his bedroom."

According to Axios, the bomb "was detonated remotely by Mossad operatives who were on Iranian soil."

Similarly, the New York Times cited an unnamed US official as saying that "the planning for the assassination took months and required extensive surveillance of the compound."

"The bomb was detonated remotely once it was confirmed that he was inside his room at the guesthouse," the official said.

Amid rising tensions and fears of an Iranian reprisal, Hagari said, "The Israeli military is on high alert and ready for any scenario."

"We have international allies that bolstered their forces in the area to aid us against these threats," he added.

While Israel has not officially commented on Haniyeh's assassination, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has hinted at Tel Aviv's involvement.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio