Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have alleged that Israel was responsible for the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, who was killed by a "short-range projectile" fired from outside his accommodation in Tehran. The Guards' statement detailed that the projectile, with a warhead weighing about 7 kilograms, caused a substantial explosion. They also accused Israel of receiving support from the United States in the attack.

Haniyeh was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, when he was killed early Wednesday. The incident has led both Iran and Hamas to vow retaliation against Israel.

Iran has pledged to deliver a "severe punishment" to Israel at a later, unspecified time and place. The ultraconservative Kayhan daily has hinted that future retaliatory measures might target major Israeli cities and strategic sites.

The incident exacerbates existing tensions in the region, already inflamed by ongoing conflicts. Recent hostilities include an Israeli strike on a Hezbollah position in Beirut, which resulted in the death of a senior Hezbollah commander linked to a recent rocket attack on the Israeli-annexed Golan Heights.

Israel has yet to issue a statement regarding Haniyeh's death. The escalation of violence highlights the deepening instability in the Middle East amid the ongoing Gaza war and regional power struggles.