EPAHamas leader Saleh al-Arouri during a 2017 ceremony in Cairo
NOS News•today, 8:04 PM•Adjusted today, 8:59 PM
At least four people, including Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri, have been killed in an explosion in a residential area in the south of the Lebanese capital Beirut. This is reported by Lebanese state media and has been confirmed by Hamas. Hamas also reports the deaths of two other Hamas leaders. Eleven others were injured. It would be an Israeli drone attack on a Hamas office, sources told Reuters.
Israel has not claimed responsibility for the attack. It only says that it was clearly not an attack against the Lebanese state.
Arouri was one of the founders of the Qassam Brigades, the militant wing of Hamas, and deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau. He de facto led the Qassam Brigades in the occupied West Bank.
Arouri had lived in exile in Lebanon for years. Since Hamas’ terrorist attack on Israel, he has acted as Hamas spokesman several times. For example, he told Al Jazeera news channel last month that Hamas did not intend to release more hostages until there was a “comprehensive and definitive” ceasefire.
These are images of the scene where the attack took place:
Hamas leader killed in attack in Beirut
Hezbollah has also confirmed Arouri’s death. Southern Beirut is considered a stronghold of Hezbollah, the militant Lebanese group backed by Iran and a key ally of Hamas.
Lebanese Prime Minister Mikati has called the attack a “new Israeli crime”. According to him, the attack is intended to draw Lebanon “into a new phase of confrontation”. The Lebanese government said in a statement that it would file a complaint with the UN Security Council against the attack in Beirut.
Hamas leader Haniyeh called the attack a terrorist act and a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty in a televised speech.
An adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu said in an interview with US news channel MSNBC that “whoever did this, it must be clear that this was not an attack on the state of Lebanon.” According to the advisor, the attack should be seen as a precision attack on Hamas leaders.
In a press conference by the Israeli army, spokesman Hagari did not want to comment on the attack in Beirut. “The most important thing to say tonight is that we are and remain focused on the fight against Hamas,” quotes The Times of Israel the spokesman. Israel has vowed to destroy Hamas. The country says it is determined to kill Hamas leaders “anywhere in the world,” the head of Israel’s internal security service, Shin Bet, said last month.
Middle East correspondent Daisy Mohr:
“Since October 7, there have been daily shelling between Hezbollah and Israel in the border area. It is no secret that there are Hamas leaders in Beirut. So such an attack was in the air, but it actually happened is a further escalation. Previously, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said that whoever did this would pay “a high price”.
It was an attack in a southern suburb of Beirut and everyone in Lebanon is now on alert, but any response to this attack does not necessarily have to come from Lebanon immediately. Hezbollah and Hamas are allies and are both supported by Iran. A response could therefore also come from another angle. We have to wait and see what will happen next.”
Iran, which supports Hezbollah and Hamas, has also responded to Arouri’s death. A spokesperson for Iran’s Foreign Ministry has said the attack will further fuel resistance against Israel, Iranian state media reported.
Israeli media report that Israeli ministers have been asked not to speak about the attack.
2024-01-02 19:04:34
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