NEW DETAILS EMERGE: Inside the Assassination of Hamas Leader Haniyeh – The Air Conditioner That Almost Changed History
JERUSALEM — In a stunning revelation that reads like a Hollywood thriller, Channel 12 has uncovered dramatic new details about the July assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, exposing how a broken air conditioner nearly derailed one of Israel’s most daring operations in recent history.
The meticulously planned operation, now acknowledged by Defense Minister Israel Katz, balanced on a knife’s edge as operatives waited for the precise moment to strike – after the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian. But it was a mundane mechanical failure that almost changed the course of history.
In the dead of night, as Tehran sweltered in the July heat, the air conditioning unit in Haniyeh’s guest house suddenly failed. According to the newly revealed details, this ordinary malfunction sent shockwaves through the operation’s command center. The Hamas leader, seeking relief from the stifling heat, left his room – unknowingly walking away from a carefully positioned explosive device.
“The operation hinged on Haniyeh being in exactly the right spot,” explains a security analyst familiar with similar operations. “The explosive device was precisely calculated for that specific location. Even a few meters’ difference could have changed everything.”
For what sources describe as “agonizing hours,” intelligence operatives monitored the situation, knowing their months of planning could unravel if Haniyeh decided to switch rooms. The explosive device, chosen for its small blast radius to minimize collateral damage, offered no margin for error.
The newly declassified information reveals the intense behind-the-scenes drama as maintenance staff worked to repair the unit. Each minute that passed increased the risk of the operation’s exposure. Finally, in what one source called “a twist of fate,” the air conditioner was fixed, and Haniyeh returned to his room.
At approximately 1:30 a.m., the decision was made. The device was detonated, bringing an end to the life of one of Israel’s most wanted targets – a man who had risen from a Gaza refugee camp to become one of the region’s most influential figures.
The timing of these revelations, coming months after Defense Minister Katz’s confirmation of Israeli involvement, sheds new light on the extraordinary precision and patience required for such operations. The heavily censored report, while withholding many operational details, provides a rare glimpse into the high-stakes world of international intelligence operations where even the smallest technical malfunction can jeopardize months of planning.
Sources indicate that the decision to strike after Pezeshkian’s inauguration was a calculated move to avoid diplomatic complications during Iran’s leadership transition. This strategic patience, combined with the technical precision of the operation, demonstrates the evolution of Israel’s intelligence capabilities deep within hostile territory.
The air conditioner incident, nearly relegating the operation to failure, will likely be studied for years to come in intelligence circles as an example of how the most sophisticated plans can hinge on the most mundane of circumstances.
When reached for comment about these new revelations, Israeli officials maintained their characteristic silence on operational details, while Iranian authorities have yet to respond to these latest disclosures.