Heartbreak for Hearts as Celtic crowned Scottish Premiership champion

GLASGOW, Scotland (AP) — Celtic won the Scottish Premiership title in dramatic style on Saturday with two late goals to beat rival Hearts 3-1.

Daizen Maeda struck a crucial goal in the 87th minute at Celtic Park to put Celtic on course for the win it needed to be crowned champion for the fifth year in a row.

Callum Osmand then put the ball into an empty net in the eighth minute of added time to put the game beyond doubt after Hearts goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow had gone up the other end of the field in search of an equalizer. It sparked wild celebrations from Celtic's fans, but it was heartbreak for Hearts, which only needed a draw to win the title for the first time since 1960 and had led through Lawrence Shankland's first-half header.

Arne Engels equalized for Celtic from the penalty spot in first-half added time, but the title remained in Hearts' hands as the game neared the end of regulation time.

That was until Maeda fired the home team ahead with a goal that was initially ruled out for offside and then given after a VAR review.

As Hearts desperately sought an equalizer, Schwolow went upfield for a late set piece only for Celtic to break and put the game beyond doubt through Osmand.

Longtime leader Hearts went into the game one point ahead of second-place Celtic. A draw would have seen it become the first team other than Celtic and Rangers to win the Scottish title since Alex Ferguson's Aberdeen in 1985.

It was Celtic's 56th league title - a new record in Scottish soccer that saw it overtake Glasgow rival Rangers.

Triumph also came at the end of a chaotic season that saw two coaches come and go in the form of Brendan Rodgers and Wilfried Nancy.

Club icon Martin O’Neill was twice appointed as interim manager and, at the age of 74, this was his fourth league title with the team - coming 22 years after his previous one.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

Heart of Midlothian fans show dejection as they watch the Scottish Premier League championship decider against Celtic, at Etore's bar near the stadium in Edinburgh, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Jane Barlow/PA via AP)

Celtic's Callum Osmand runs clean through to score his side's third goal during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Celtic's Benjamin Nygren rues a missed chance, saved by Heart of Midlothian goalkeeper Alexander Schwolow during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan//PA via AP)

Celtic fans present a tifo featuring manager Martin O'Neill during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan//PA via AP)

Heart of Midlothian's Lawrence Shankland, left, heads the ball to score the opening goal during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan//PA via AP)

A young Celtic fan celebrates his side's equalising goal during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan//PA via AP)

Celtic's Arne Engels scores from the penalty spot during the Premiership soccer match between Celtic and Heart of Midlothian, in Glasgow, Scotland, Saturday May 16, 2026. (Andrew Milligan//PA via AP)

Heart of Midlothian's Frankie Kent, left, celebrates scoring their first goal of the game during the Scottish Premiership soccer match between Heart of Midlothian and Falkirk, Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

Referee John Beaton, center, speaks to Celtic's Kelechi Iheanacho before going to the VAR monitor and awarding a penalty to Celtic during the Scottish Premiership soccer match between Motherwell and Celtic, Wednesday May 13, 2026, in Motherwell, Scotland. (Robert Perry/PA via AP)

A Heart of Midlothian fan waves a large flag ahead the Scottish Premiership soccer match between Heart of Midlothian and Falkirk, Wednesday, May 13, 2026, in Edinburgh, Scotland. (Andrew Milligan/PA via AP)

TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — An Israeli airstrike in Gaza killed the leader of Hamas’ military wing who was one of the last surviving architects of the attacks that triggered the war in late 2023, the Israeli military said Saturday. Hamas confirmed the death.

Izz al-Din al-Haddad was killed on Friday, Israel’s army said, describing him as one of the senior Hamas military commanders who directed the planning and execution of the Hamas-led attacks on Oct. 7, 2023, which killed around 1,200 people in southern Israel and saw more than 250 taken hostage.

A Hamas spokesperson, Hazem Qassem, confirmed the killing on social media.

The ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, and the top diplomat overseeing it says it has stalled because of the deadlock over disarming Hamas. Both sides have traded accusations of violations. Gaza has seen near-daily Israeli fire with more than 850 people killed in the Palestinian territory since the ceasefire went into effect in October, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

The ministry is part of Gaza’s Hamas-run government, but staffed by medical professionals who maintain and publish detailed records viewed as generally reliable by the international community. The ministry overall says Israel’s retaliatory strikes in the war have devastated the Palestinian enclave and killed more than 72,700 people.

Israel said that al-Haddad had assumed the role of Hamas commander after his predecessor, Mohammed Sinwar, was killed. The army said that al-Haddad had surrounded himself with Israeli hostages during the war as a shield against an attack.

Al-Haddad’s family confirmed his death in Friday's strike to The Associated Press. Six other people, including his wife and daughter, were also killed. His two sons were killed earlier in the war.

His body was wrapped in Hamas and Palestinian flags as it was carried by mourners at Saturday's funeral in Gaza City.

Al-Haddad joined Hamas when it was established in the 1980s, and was a member of the Qassam Brigades' Majd section tasked to go after collaborators with Israel. He was also a member of Hamas’ Military Council, the highest group of commanders that played a key role in the attacks that sparked the war.

Israel's army chief of staff called his killing a significant operation, and said that Israel would continue pursuing its enemies to hold them accountable.

Violence flared Saturday in the occupied West Bank, where Israeli troops shot and killed a 34-year-old Palestinian in the Jenin refugee camp, according to the Palestinian Health ministry.

Hassan Fayyad was fatally shot in a thigh, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Israel's military said that troops first fired warning shots at a person trying to infiltrate the camp and shot him when he didn't comply. They provided him with medical treatment as he was transferred to a hospital, it said.

Israeli troops on Thursday shot and killed a 15-year-old boy in Eastern Lubban town in Nablus, according to the Palestinian Health Ministry. Israel's military said that it identified three people hurling rocks toward Israeli vehicles and “endangering lives,” and troops fired at them, killing one.

On Friday, settlers set fire to a mosque and vehicles in the village of Jibiya, northwest of Ramallah, Palestinian religious authorities said. Security camera footage showed people pouring flammable material on the mosque and at least two vehicles, said Sabir Shalash, the head of Jibiya’s municipal council. Spray-painted Hebrew slogans were found on the mosque’s walls, he said.

The Ministry of Awqaf and Religious Affairs described the attack as “a cowardly terrorist act” and criticized the international community’s inaction over mounting Jewish settler attacks against Muslim and Christian sites in the occupied Palestinian territories.

The Israeli military and police said that they were deployed to the area and didn't locate any suspects, but were investigating. The army said that it “strongly condemns” attacks on religious institutions.

Samy Magdy reported from Cairo.

Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

Palestinians place their hands on the body of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, draped in a Hamas flag during his funeral in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians carry the bodies of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, center, along with those of his daughter, right, and wife, who were killed in an Israeli strike, during their funeral in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Abdel Kareem Hana)

Palestinians mourn over the body of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, during his funeral in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians place their hands on the body of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas' Qassam Brigades, draped in a Hamas flag during his funeral in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians search inside a burning vehicle following an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians gather around a vehicle struck by an Israeli strike in Gaza City, Friday, May 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians carry the body of a person killed in Israeli airstrikes Friday targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, during a funeral outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians pray over the body of a person killed in Israeli airstrikes Friday targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, during a funeral outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)

Palestinians carry the body of a person killed in Israeli airstrikes Friday targeting Izz al-Din al-Haddad, the leader of Hamas’ Qassam Brigades, during a funeral outside Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, Saturday, May 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Jehad Alshrafi)