At least six people have been killed in an alleged Israeli drone strike in the Lebanese capital of Beirut on Tuesday evening, including senior Hamas leader Saleh al-Aruri.
A suspected drone strike by Israel at the Hamas political office in Beirut killed two commanders of Al-Qassam Brigades, which is the Palestinian group’s military wing, state Lebanese media cited Hamas as saying Tuesday.
Reuters and Lebanese media reported that the strike was carried out by Israel. The Israeli government and military have yet to officially confirm any involvement in the assassination.
Hamas also confirmed the assassination of its deputy leader Saleh al-Arouri in the blast that targeted its office in a southern Beirut suburb, Lebanon’s National News Agency reported.
Reports indicated that the primary target of the strike was 57-year-old Saleh al-Aruri, the deputy chairman of Hamas’ political bureau, and a founding commander of the movement’s military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades.
Though Hamas has yet to confirm the identities of the other six killed in the strike, among them were Samir Abu Amer, a top Hamas military leader in Lebanon, and Abu Ahmad al-Aqraa, a senior Hamas military leader in charge of West Bank operations.
The Lebanese army deployed military equipment and additional forces to the site in Al-Mcharafieh neighborhood, on the southern outskirts of the Lebanese capital. Ambulances and firefighting crews were also on the scene.
In response to the deadly blast, Lebanon’s Hezbollah has threatened to retaliate against Israel, writing in a statement that the crime will not go unanswered or unpunished.
Israeli media has reported that the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu enforced a gag order on ministers as Lebanon and Hamas blamed the Jewish state for assassinating the Palestinian group’s deputy leader.
The Netanyahu’s office is said to have specifically instructed ministers not to be interviewed or make any references to the assassination as Israeli police were reportedly put on high alert and told to get ready for counter attacks.
Citing American and Israeli officials, American media claimed that Israel did not notify Washington before the strike was conducted, noting Israeli leadership informed the Biden administration about the attack only after the operation had already begun.
The Tuesday bombing of Hamas’ office on the southern outskirts of Beirut marked an escalation in the nearly three months of war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
Al-Arouri was the most senior Hamas official killed by Israel since the break out of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in October 2023.
On October 7, Palestinian movement Hamas launched a large-scale rocket attack against Israel from the Gaza Strip, while its fighters breached the border, opening fire on the military and civilians.
Israeli helicopter gunships were deployed to the scene, mowing down the entire crowd, because they weren’t able to identify Palestinians from Israeli concert visitors.
As a result, over 1,200 people in Israel were killed and some 240 others abducted. Israel launched retaliatory strikes, ordered another complete blockade of Gaza, and launched a ground incursion into the Palestinian enclave.
The declared goal was to eliminate Hamas fighters and rescuing the hostages. Over 20,000 people have been killed so far in Gaza as a result of Israeli strikes, local authorities said.
On November 24, Qatar mediated a deal between Israel and Hamas on a temporary truce and the exchange of some of the prisoners and hostages, as well as the delivery of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip.
The ceasefire was extended several times and expired on December 1, 2023.
Sputnik / ABC Flash Point News 2024.
Terrorism coupled of criminal execution in broad daylight in flagrant violation of International law.
Lebanon is full of traitors and Zionist informants. An with its economy in disaster slide, some people will do anything for the money to seve Jewi$h Nazism and inform on their brothers.
Yes, Mossad is the original global terror organization.
They should target the Zio-terrorist leaders.
Yhe Middle east has completed 1 cycle 1 orbit since 1947 the debate has come full circle now it’s now 1948 again the mediators have been killed now as they were then, the world was deaf and blind then and now it see’s the crimes the genocide the holocaust has again come full circle all the lies have been laid bare! we are at square one again I feel bad for the Jews they are going down in a big loss how many will run how many will stay Massada style and commit suicide? they should retreat into state a… Read more »