Iran reports that a Hamas leader was killed at close range.

 Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed by a "short-range projectile" fired from outside his guesthouse in Tehran, according to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The paramilitary organization stated that the projectile, weighing about 7kg (16lbs), caused a "strong blast" that killed Haniyeh and his bodyguard last Wednesday. Haniyeh had been visiting the Iranian capital for the inauguration of President Massoud Pezeshkian.

The IRGC accused Israel, with support from the US, of orchestrating the operation. Israel has not commented on Haniyeh's death. This account contrasts with reports in Western media suggesting that explosives were planted in the guesthouse by Israeli operatives. The circumstances surrounding Haniyeh's death, especially during a period of heightened security, have caused significant embarrassment for Iran and the IRGC.

Following Haniyeh's death, numerous IRGC officers have been arrested or dismissed, as reported by the New York Times. The IRGC's intelligence agency has taken over the investigation, with staff at Haniyeh's guesthouse being interrogated and their electronic devices seized.

In response, the security details for Iranian politicians have been overhauled. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei led prayers for Haniyeh on Thursday but was quickly escorted away by his security detail afterward.

The IRGC's statement followed a report by Britain's Daily Telegraph that Haniyeh was killed by bombs planted in his room by Israeli Mossad agents. Citing Iranian officials, the paper said two Mossad agents had entered the guesthouse, planted explosives in three rooms, and later left the country before detonating the bombs from outside Iran.

The New York Times also reported that Haniyeh was killed by explosives detonated in his room, which might have been planted up to two months earlier. The BBC has not been able to verify these claims. Hamas officials told the BBC earlier this week that Haniyeh had previously stayed at the same guesthouse and had visited Iran up to 15 times since becoming the head of the political bureau in 2017.

If these reports are true, it would signify a major failure for the IRGC, which controls internal security in Iran, and highlight the extent of Mossad's operational reach within the country. Regardless of how Haniyeh was killed, both Iran and Hamas have vowed to retaliate.

The IRGC declared on Saturday that Israel would face "a severe punishment at the appropriate time, place, and manner." Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed militia and political group in Lebanon, has also vowed reprisals. One of their top commanders, Fuad Shukr, was killed in an Israeli strike last Tuesday.

After an Israeli operation killed IRGC Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi in Damascus earlier this year, Iran launched 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles, and at least 110 ballistic missiles towards Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned Israelis that "challenging days lie ahead," noting threats from all sides and ensuring the country is prepared for any scenario. His ministers were sent home this weekend with satellite phones in case of an attack on the country's communication infrastructure.

Despite government warnings, the atmosphere on Tel Aviv's seafront appeared relaxed, with people enjoying the beach. However, the Middle East remains on the brink of full-scale war. Israel is on high alert, and several international airlines have suspended flights to the country. The US has deployed additional warships and fighter jets to the Middle East to help defend Israel from possible attacks by Iran and its proxies, the Pentagon said.

UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy has warned of the rising risk that "the situation on the ground could deteriorate rapidly." Meanwhile, at least 10 people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a school sheltering displaced people in Gaza's Sheikh Radwan neighborhood, according to the Hamas-run government media office.

In the occupied West Bank, an Israeli airstrike killed a Hamas commander and four senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad fighters on Saturday. The Israeli military stated that the airstrike targeted a vehicle carrying the men who were on their way to conduct an attack.

Israeli officials, including the directors of Mossad and the internal security agency Shin Bet, have arrived in Cairo for fresh ceasefire talks. They will meet Egyptian intelligence chief Abbas Kamel and other senior military officials to negotiate a potential truce. However, US President Joe Biden admitted on Friday that Haniyeh's death had damaged the talks. Haniyeh had been heavily involved in negotiations, and Biden acknowledged that his death “doesn’t help” efforts to end the ten-month-old conflict.

The war began in October when Hamas carried out an unprecedented attack on Israel, killing about 1,200 people and taking 251 others hostage to Gaza. The attack triggered a massive Israeli military response, which has killed at least 39,550 Palestinians in Gaza, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.