An explosion in Beirut on Tuesday killed Saleh Arouri, a top official with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and three others, officials with Hamas and the Lebanese group Hezbollah said.
Quick Read
- Explosion in Beirut Kills Hamas Official: Saleh Arouri, a senior member of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, along with three others, was killed in an explosion in Beirut.
- Lebanese State Media on Explosion: Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that an Israeli drone caused the blast that killed four people. However, Israeli officials have not commented on the incident.
- Potential Escalation in Middle East Conflict: If Israel is responsible, this attack could significantly escalate the ongoing Middle East conflict. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has previously warned of retaliation against Israeli actions targeting Palestinian officials in Lebanon.
- Confirmation of Arouri’s Death: Hamas official Bassem Naim and a Hezbollah official (who spoke anonymously) confirmed Arouri’s death in the explosion.
- Arouri’s Role in Hamas: Arouri was a founder of Hamas’ military wing and led the group’s activities in the West Bank. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously threatened to target him.
- Location of the Blast: The explosion occurred in the Musharafieh area of Beirut, a stronghold of the militant group Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas.
- Context of Recent Conflicts: The explosion comes amid over two months of intense exchanges between Israeli forces and Hezbollah fighters along the Lebanon-Israel border, with several Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah deeper within Lebanon.
- Hezbollah’s Border Attacks: Earlier on the day of the explosion, Hezbollah claimed responsibility for attacks on Israeli military posts along the Lebanon-Israel border.
The Associated Press has the story:
Top Hamas official Saleh Arouri, who headed W. Bank operations, killed in Beirut blast
Newslooks- BEIRUT (AP) —
An explosion in Beirut on Tuesday killed Saleh Arouri, a top official with the Palestinian militant group Hamas and three others, officials with Hamas and the Lebanese group Hezbollah said.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency said the blast killed four people and was carried out by an Israeli drone. Israeli officials declined to comment.
If Israel is behind the attack it could mark a major escalation in the Middle East conflict. Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has vowed to retaliate against any Israeli targeting of Palestinian officials in Lebanon.
Hamas official Bassem Naim confirmed to The Associated Press that Arouri was killed in the blast. A Hezbollah official speaking on condition of anonymity in line with regulations also said Arouri was killed.
Arouri, one of the founders of Hamas’ military wing, had headed the group’s presence in the West Bank. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had threatened to kill him even before the Hamas-Israel war began on Oct. 7.
The explosion shook Musharafieh, one of the Lebanese capital’s southern suburbs, which are a stronghold of the militant Hezbollah group, which is an ally of Hamas. The explosion caused fire in Hadi Nasrallah street south of Beirut.
The explosion came during more than two months of heavy exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and members of Hezbollah along Lebanon’s southern border.
Since the fighting began on Oct. 8, the fighting has been concentrated a few miles (kilometers) from the border but on several occasions Israel’s air force hit Hezbollah targets deeper in Lebanon.
Earlier in the day, Hezbollah said its fighters carried out several attacks along the Lebanon-Israel border targeting Israeli military posts.
