In a recent development, the deputy chief of Hamas, Salah al-Arouri, was allegedly killed in an Israeli strike in Beirut. The leader of Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, responded with a stern warning to Israel, cautioning against waging war on Lebanon. Nasrallah declared that if Israel initiates hostilities, Lebanon will retaliate without restraint.
Nasrallah, in a pre-planned address commemorating the fourth anniversary of Qassem Soleimani’s death, labeled the killing of al-Arouri as a “major and dangerous crime” that will not go unanswered. He emphasized Lebanon’s readiness to fight, expressing that they are not afraid of war and are currently engaged in frontline actions based on calculated decisions.
The strike targeting al-Arouri is significant, marking the first time such an incident has occurred in Beirut’s southern suburbs since the 2006 Second Lebanon War. Nasrallah suggested that Israel had communicated its intention to target Hamas leaders rather than Lebanon or Hezbollah itself.
Meanwhile, Hamas has confirmed the death of its deputy commander and denounced the “cowardly assassinations” by the Israeli occupation. The senior Hamas official, Izzat al-Rishq, asserted that such actions would not break the resolve of the Palestinian people or undermine their resistance.
Lebanon’s caretaker Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, condemned the alleged killing of al-Arouri, describing it as a “new Israeli crime” and warning of attempts to drag Lebanon into the conflict.
Al-Arouri, aged 57 and residing in Lebanon, played a crucial role in Hamas’s political and military leadership. He was previously imprisoned by Israel and released in 2010 as part of negotiations. Al-Arouri then moved to Istanbul but relocated due to changing diplomatic relations between Israel and Turkey. Subsequently, he resided in Syria before moving to Beirut, overseeing Hamas’s military operations in the West Bank and maintaining ties with Iran and Hezbollah.
As tensions escalate in the region, Israel has not yet officially commented on the alleged strike, leaving the situation fluid and complex.
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