Senior Hamas Official Saleh Al-Arouri Assassinated in Beirut Drone Strike
Saleh al-Arouri, a high-ranking official of the Palestinian group Hamas, was killed in an Israeli drone strike in the southern suburb of Dahiyeh in Beirut, as confirmed by Hamas and several Lebanese media outlets.
The fatal strike occurred on Tuesday, described by Hamas on its official channel as a "treacherous Zionist strike." Izzat al-Sharq, a member of the Hamas politburo, called it a "cowardly assassination."
Al-Arouri was a prominent figure within the Hamas politburo, with deep involvement in its military operations, and formerly led the group's activities in the occupied West Bank.
According to messages released by Hamas on its Telegram channel, two other leaders of the Qassam Brigades, Hamas' armed wing, Samir Findi Abu Amer and Azzam Al-Aqraa Abu Ammar, were also killed, along with four more members of the group.
The Lebanese state-run National News Agency reported that the blast, carried out by an Israeli drone, claimed at least six lives.
On January 2, 2024, people amassed in the Beirut suburb of Dahiyeh following an explosion [Mohamed Azakir/Reuters]
Hamas asserted that Al-Arouri's assassination will not "deter the ongoing heroic resistance" in Gaza, where Israeli ground forces and Palestinian fighters are engaged in hostilities.
"This act reiterates the enemy's complete failure to accomplish any of their aggressive objectives in the Gaza Strip," said senior Hamas official Izzat al-Rishq in a public statement.
Ismail Haniyeh, the group’s top leader, denounced the strike as a "terrorist act," an infringement of Lebanese sovereignty, and a reflection of Israel's widening aggression towards Palestinians. In his televised comments, Haniyeh affirmed that Hamas “will never be defeated.”
Israel had not made any immediate comments in response.
Speaking to MSNBC, Mark Regev, an adviser to the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, stated that Israel had not assumed responsibility for the attack but emphasized that the strike was not aimed at the Lebanese state but was a "surgical strike against the Hamas leadership."
Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati denounced the assassination, and his office issued a statement indicating that the attack "aims to embroil Lebanon in a new phase of confrontations" with Israel. The statement alluded to the ongoing exchanges of fire between the Israeli forces and the allied Hezbollah across the northern Israeli border.
Al Jazeera's Zeina Khodr reported from Beirut on a sense of "panic" following the strike as concerns grow over the potential for an escalation of the conflict. All attention is now focused on Hezbollah's response.
Iran, which backs both Hamas and Hezbollah, predicted that Al-Arouri’s killing would fuel further resistance against Israel, as stated by the Iranian state media.
"The martyr's blood will undoubtedly kindle another surge in the resistance's veins and the determination to resist the Zionist occupiers not only in Palestine but also across the region and among all freedom-seekers worldwide," said Nasser Kanaani, Iranian Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson.
Akiva Eldar, an Israeli political analyst, told Al Jazeera that the assassination was a much-needed victory for Netanyahu.
Imad Harb of the Arab Center Washington DC suggested that Israel executed the strike seeking what has been an elusive triumph. "The Israelis have not been able to declare victory in Gaza, so killing Hamas leaders is in part what they’ve aimed to do," he said to Al Jazeera. Harb described it as an accomplishment for both the Israeli military and politicians.
Harb also noted the "dangerous escalation" of the situation since the killing took place in Hezbollah's operational territory, well away from the border. He predicted Hezbollah is likely to intensify its attacks on Israel, but likely stop short of triggering an all-out war.
In Arura, the West Bank hometown of the deceased Hamas leader, Palestinians congregated at mosques to mourn Al-Arouri. Additionally, demonstrations and gatherings occurred in Ramallah and nearby towns such as Deir Qaddis. A general strike has been called for Wednesday in Ramallah.
