Hamas’s deputy leader abroad, Saleh al-Arouri, a long-time target for Israel, has been reportedly killed in an Israeli strike in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh.
The strike, which took place on Tuesday evening, has raised concerns about a potential escalation in the already volatile Middle East region.
According to officials from both Hamas and the Lebanese terror group Hezbollah, the blast was carried out by an Israeli drone.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency confirmed the incident, stating that the explosion occurred on Hadi Nasrallah Street, causing a fire in a third-floor apartment believed to serve as a Hamas office.
Israeli officials have remained tight-lipped about their involvement in the strike. Still, unnamed US officials informed significant American media outlets, including the New York Times and the Washington Post, that Israel was indeed responsible for the operation.
The precision strike targeted not only Saleh al-Arouri but also claimed the lives of six others.
Among the casualties were high-ranking Hamas military commanders Samir Findi and Azzam Al-Aqraa, along with Hamas figures Mahmoud Shaheen, Muhammad Bashasha, Muhammad al-Rayes, and Ahmed Hammoud.
Findi, responsible for overseeing Hamas military activities in Lebanon, including rocket attacks on Israel, was considered a key intermediary between Hamas and the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen. Al-Aqraa was allegedly coordinating terror activities in the West Bank from overseas.
Hamas, in an official statement, confirmed the death of seven individuals in the explosion and denounced the attack as an act of aggression.
The strike comes in the wake of Hamas’s devastating October 7 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of around 1,200 people, mostly civilians, and the abduction of over 240 others.
Israel had previously vowed to target all leaders of Hamas in response to this attack.
The targeted killing of Saleh al-Arouri could signify a significant escalation in the ongoing regional conflict. Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas, has been actively carrying out attacks against Israel’s north since the beginning of the war in Gaza.
The group claims its actions are in support of Hamas, leading to daily clashes along the border and raising concerns about the potential for a larger-scale war.
The international community has yet to respond to the latest development, and the implications of this targeted strike on the broader Middle East situation remain uncertain.
The death of a high-profile Hamas leader is expected to have repercussions not only for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict but also for the dynamics of the broader regional power struggle.
As the situation unfolds, the world watches with bated breath, hoping for diplomatic efforts to prevent further bloodshed and seeking a path toward lasting peace in the turbulent Middle East.
This article was created using automation technology and was thoroughly edited and fact-checked by one of our editorial staff members