Citing two sources familiar with the investigation, the NYT report said senior intelligence officers, military officials, and staff workers at a military-run guesthouse in Tehran where Haniyeh was assassinated, were detained.Citing two sources familiar with the investigation, the NYT report said senior intelligence officers, military officials, and staff workers at a military-run guesthouse in Tehran where Haniyeh was assassinated, were detained.
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Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps’ (IRGC) specialized intelligence unit has taken over the investigation, according to the NYT’s sources.
The assassination dealt a critical blow to Iran’s security apparatus, exposing severe vulnerabilities and indicating deep foreign intelligence penetration within the Islamic Republic, analysts told Al Arabiya English on Thursday, shortly after the shock attack.
The experts added that the assassination was a message to Iran and its allies and proxy groups; they are not beyond Israel’s reach, even in Tehran.
Although Israel has not claimed responsibility for the killing of Haniyeh, and US officials told Al Arabiya English that they were not involved, Israeli forces are thought to be behind the killing.
Some reports, including from Hamas and Iranian media, state that Haniyeh was killed by a missile strike. Other reports suggest that a bomb smuggled into the secure facility caused his death.
Haniyeh has led the Palestinian group, designated a terrorist organization by the US, from Qatar. He was in Tehran to attend the inauguration of Iran’s new president.
What happened after the killing
The NYT reported that after the attack, Iranian officials raided the guesthouse compound, which belongs to the IRGC, placed staff members under quarantine, arrested some, and confiscated all electronic devices, including personal phones.
Haniyeh reportedly frequented the guesthouse, and often used the same room, during his visits to Tehran.
At the guesthouse, CCTV footage was scanned thoroughly, guest lists were checked, and examined the day-to-day of personnel, the NYT report said, adding that they are operating under the belief that members of the Israeli Mossad who were involved in the assassination are still in country.
Another batch of investigators are reportedly scouring footage from Iran’s international and domestic airports, scanning arrival and departure lists and CCTV footage.
A member of the IRGC told the NYT that security protocols have changed, security personnel guarding senior officials have been swapped, and electronic equipment like phones have also been replaced.
