In a devastating incident on Tuesday, an explosion in Beirut resulted in the tragic death of Saleh Arouri, a senior official with the Palestinian militant group Hamas, along with three others. Officials from both Hamas and the Lebanese group Hezbollah confirmed the casualties.
Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported that the blast, which occurred in Musharafieh, one of Beirut’s southern suburbs, claimed four lives and was reportedly executed by an Israeli drone. However, Israeli officials have refrained from commenting on the incident.
The death of Arouri, a key figure in the founding of Hamas’ military wing, has significant implications. He had been leading the group’s presence in the West Bank, and even before the recent Hamas-Israel conflict, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had issued threats against him.
Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has previously pledged retaliation for any Israeli targeting of Palestinian officials in Lebanon. The explosion adds a layer of complexity to the already tense situation in the region, especially considering the ongoing exchanges of fire between Israeli troops and Hezbollah along Lebanon’s southern border.
The blast comes in the midst of more than two months of heightened hostilities, with both Israeli and Hezbollah forces engaging in conflicts near the border. Israel’s air force has targeted Hezbollah locations deeper in Lebanon on several occasions during this period.
Earlier on the same day, Hezbollah had announced its fighters’ involvement in multiple attacks along the Lebanon-Israel border, specifically targeting Israeli military posts. The incident underscores the volatility of the Middle East conflict, with potential repercussions on the already delicate geopolitical landscape.
By AP
