Israel waited until the inauguration of Iran’s new president, Masoud Pezeshkian, to execute the assassination of former Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran, Israel's Channel 12 revealed on Saturday.

Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed last week that Israel was behind the operation. 

Haniyeh was killed in July by a remote-controlled bomb placed in his guesthouse while he was in Tehran for the inauguration ceremony.

According to the report, the assassination had been in preparation for months, but it nearly failed due to a last-minute complication. The air conditioning unit in Haniyeh’s room malfunctioned in the middle of the night, forcing him to leave the room for an extended period. This raised concerns that he might switch rooms, which would have thwarted the attack.

Given the bomb’s limited size and scope, Haniyeh’s presence in the room at the time of detonation was crucial for the operation's success. Ultimately, the air conditioning unit was repaired, and Haniyeh returned to his room. The bomb was detonated at approximately 1:30 a.m., achieving its objective.

Haniyeh’s death prompted a swift leadership change within Hamas. Yahya Sinwar, formerly the group’s military chief, was appointed as the new political leader. However, Sinwar’s tenure was cut short when he was killed in October during an Israeli strike in Rafah, southern Gaza.