Iranian authorities have arrested more than 20 people, including senior intelligence officials, military officials and staff at the military safe house in Tehran where Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed on Wednesday, in response to a series of security failures that allowed the assassination to take place. of an important Iranian ally, writes the New York Times.

Ismail Haniya was the leader of the political wing of Hamas in Qatar and was in Tehran for the inauguration of Iran's new president, Massoud Pezeshkian. He was placed in a safe house in the northern part of the city, where he was killed with an explosive device along with his bodyguard. To make matters worse, the safe house was run by the Revolutionary Guard itself, the most loyal and elite unit of the Iranian regime, and Haniya was killed just hours after attending the inauguration ceremony of the new president.

The perception that Iran cannot protect its soil or its key allies can be fatal for the Iranian regime, because it essentially signals to their enemies that if they can no longer bring down the Islamic Republic, they can behead it - said Ali Vez. Iran director of the International Crisis Group agency.

During his frequent visits to the Iranian capital, Haniya often stayed in the same Revolutionary Guard safe house, and he always stayed in the same room. Iran and Hamas immediately blamed Israel for Wednesday's assassination. Israel does not hide that it is on a mission to destroy all of Hamas, but it has not yet confirmed that it has anything to do with this attack.

The investigation has been taken over by the Revolutionary Guards' specialized intelligence unit, and they are looking for people they hope will lead to members of the team that planned and carried out the assassination and to people who helped them carry out the assassination, two Iranian officials confirmed on condition of anonymity. for the New York Times. Obviously, this is a very complicated operation that could not be carried out without Iranian facilitators or agents deeply infiltrated within Iranian structures.

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The news about the wave of arrests was confirmed by the Revolutionary Guard itself, which stated in a statement that "the extent and details of this incident are being investigated" and that "everything will be revealed in due course."

After the attack, Iranian security agents stormed the guard-controlled building. All safe house staff and guards were quarantined, some arrested, and all their electronic devices, including personal phones, confiscated. A special team of agents interrogated senior military and intelligence officials tasked with securing the capital, some of whom were arrested.

The investigation also targets all airports in Tehran, where agents have also been sent to review surveillance footage dating back months. They search the arrival and departure terminals, lounges, check passenger lists. Two unnamed Iranian officials told The New York Times that Iran believes members of the Mossad assassination team are still in the country and that their capture is the primary objective.

The Revolutionary Guards have yet to release an official statement about the investigation and arrests, but have vowed fierce retaliation.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard after Haniya's murder: Tehran's revenge will be great