New York Times: Haniyeh killed by bomb planted months in advance

Hamas political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed by an explosion device that detonated in his room and not by a missile as previously believed, the New York Times reported on Thursday citing seven Middle Eastern officials, including two Iranians, and an American official.

According to the report, the bomb was planted approximately two months ago in the guesthouse, which is managed and protected by the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps and is part of a large compound, known as Neshat, in northern Tehran.

According to IRGC officials, the explosion shook the building, shattered some windows, and caused the partial collapse of an exterior wall.

Iranian media had reported on Wednesday that the Hamas leader was killed by an Israeli-made Spike short-range missile was launched at the leader's bedroom in northern Tehran from within Iranian territory.

Sky News Arabia, citing Iranian sources, reported that the Hamas political leader was killed by a missile that was launched from a building near the one where he was staying.

Haniyeh, who was in the Iranian capital for the inauguration of Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian, was killed together with one of his bodyguards, Wasim Abu Sha'ban.

Abu Sha'ban reportedly was part of a terror cell in 2014 that murdered five IDF soldiers after infiltrating Israel during Operation Protective Edge.

According to the Iranian press, one of the Haniyeh's bodyguards was also involved in the assassination and leaked information to the assassins.