In Beirut, an Israeli strike killed Hamas's No. 2 political leader, escalating tensions and raising the specter of broader conflict.Saleh Arouri, a key Hamas figure killed, founded the group's military wing. His death may trigger retaliation from Hezbollah.Targeting a Hezbollah stronghold in Beirut, the strike hit an apartment, prompting Hezbollah's leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah to vow retaliation against Israeli actions on Palestinian officials in Lebanon.
The Israeli military and Hezbollah have engaged in nearly daily exchanges of fire across the Israeli-Lebanese border amid Israel's Gaza military campaign for the past three months.Lebanon's National News Agency reported the Israeli drone strike; Israeli officials declined to comment. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari focused on fighting Hamas, not directly addressing Arouri's death.
"We are on high readiness for any scenario," he added.
Hamas says Israel killed one of its senior leaders, Saleh al-Arouri, in Beirut in an apparent drone strike. Israel has not taken responsibility and there are concerns the attack could trigger a response from Lebanon's Hezbollah militia, further escalating the conflict.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledges to continue the Gaza assault until crushing Hamas and freeing over 100 hostages, anticipating several more months. Simultaneously, officials warn of heightened actions against Hezbollah unless cross-border fire ceases.Netanyahu and Israeli officials have consistently threatened to eliminate Hamas leaders globally. The Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into southern Israel resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths, with around 240 individuals taken hostage.
Israel asserts killing mid-level Hamas leaders in Gaza during the war. However, targeting top leaders in another country, where many live in exile, is unprecedented.
Arouri, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh's deputy, managed the group's presence in the West Bank and served as a key liaison with Hezbollah. Haniyeh condemned the attack, stating responsible parties "left behind strong men" to carry on. The blast in Beirut's Musharafieh killed four people, including Arouri and six other Hamas members, including two military commanders.
Hezbollah denounced the strike as a "serious attack on Lebanon, its people, its security, sovereignty, and resistance." The group vowed a response, emphasizing that the crime would not go unpunished. With concerns escalating since the Gaza conflict started, Lebanon fears being drawn into a broader war. In 2006, Hezbollah and Israel engaged in a month-long war that resulted in significant destruction in southern Lebanon due to Israeli bombardment.
Combat in Gaza continues
Israel's extensive air, ground, and sea assault in Gaza has resulted in over 22,100 casualties, as reported by the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory. The count doesn't distinguish between civilians and combatants. Fierce fighting persists, particularly in southern areas, where many of Hamas's forces remain active, and a majority of Gaza's population has evacuated. The conflict shows no sign of immediate resolution, with ongoing heavy airstrikes and artillery shelling in Khan Younis and fighting reported in the Bureij refugee camp, leading to evacuations and casualties.
