Hamas has announced that Saleh al Arouri, one of its top officials, was killed in an explosion in Beirut. The group has blamed Israel for the “cowardly assassination.” Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the blast, carried out by an Israeli drone, resulted in the deaths of four individuals. Reuters sources confirm that the strike targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs of Dahiyeh.
Al Arouri, who played a key role in founding Hamas’s military wing, was leading the group’s presence in the West Bank.
Izzat Al-Rishq, a member of Hamas’s political bureau, condemned Israel for the assassination and stated that such attacks will not weaken the resolve of the Palestinian people or hinder their resistance. He also highlighted the failure of Israel’s aggressive goals in Gaza.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah previously vowed to retaliate against any Israeli targeting of Palestinian officials in Lebanon. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had previously threatened to kill al Arouri even before the Hamas-Israel war began in 2023.
Bassem Naim, a Hamas official, and an anonymous Hezbollah official have both confirmed al Arouri’s death in the explosion. Israeli officials have not commented on the incident.
An explosion occurred in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Tuesday evening, causing significant damage and fire. It is unclear if there were any casualties. The blast came amid ongoing clashes between Israeli troops and Hezbollah along the Lebanon-Israel border.
This is a developing story. More details will be published shortly.
Please refresh the page for the latest updates.
You can receive Breaking News alerts on your smartphone or tablet through the Sky News App. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel for the latest news.