Iran claims that a short-range projectile was responsible for killing Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh and has reiterated its commitment to retaliate.

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran's Revolutionary Guard has claimed that a short-range projectile was responsible for the death of Hamas political chief Ismail Haniyeh, accusing the United States of backing the attack, which it attributes to Israel, according to state TV on Saturday.

The televised announcement, which called for retaliation, detailed that a rocket with a seven-kilogram (about 15-pound) warhead targeted Haniyeh's residence in Tehran on Wednesday, causing significant damage. The specific location of the residence was not disclosed.

Haniyeh was in Iran for the inauguration of newly elected Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the time of the attack.

The Guard's statement asserted that "the action was designed and executed by the Zionist regime with U.S. support," and warned that "the aggressive and terrorist Zionist regime will face severe consequences at the appropriate time, place, and manner."

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied its involvement in Haniyeh's death but had previously vowed to target him and other Hamas leaders following the group's October 7 assault on southern Israel, which ignited the ongoing conflict in Gaza.

The assassination has heightened concerns about a broader regional conflict and a potential direct confrontation between Israel and Iran if Tehran chooses to retaliate.

In April, Iran launched a significant missile and drone attack on Israel, which Israel claimed to have intercepted 99% of. This attack came shortly after a suspected Israeli strike in Syria that killed two Iranian generals, marking Iran's first direct military assault on Israel despite decades of hostility dating back to the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

Iran does not recognize Israel and supports anti-Israel militant groups, including Hamas and Hezbollah.