Who was Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas leader killed in Beirut?
The deputy chief of Hamas's political bureau, Saleh al-Arouri, has been killed in an Israeli drone strike in Lebanon. Al-Arouri, who was also the founder of Hamas's military wing—the Qassam Brigades—was killed along with six others in southern Beirut. In the aftermath, the Lebanese leadership accused Israel of attempting to provoke conflict, while Hezbollah labeled it a violation of Lebanese sovereignty. However, Israel clarified that the airstrike targeted Hamas leadership and was not an assault on Lebanon or Hezbollah.
Why does this story matter?
Over 22,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israel since its war in Gaza began on October 7. The group killed 1,200 Israelis in its cross-border attacks and took 240 hostages. As the battle continued, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to eliminate Hamas's leaders. Last week, Netanyahu also canceled a war cabinet meeting to discuss post-war plans for Gaza. Al-Arouri (57) is the most senior leader of the Palestinian militant group to be killed by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF).
What do we know about Al-Arouri
Al-Arouri was regarded as the de facto leader of the Qassam Brigades and a close associate of Haniyeh. Stationed in Lebanon, he acted as a liaison between Hamas and the Iran-backed terror group Hezbollah. He was suspected of involvement in the 2014 kidnapping and murder of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank and had previously served time in Israeli prisons for other attacks. He was declared a "global terrorist" in 2015 by the United States.
Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran react to al-Arouri's killing
Hamas leader Haniyeh condemned the attack as a "cowardly... terrorist act, a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty, and an expansion of its circle of aggression." Hezbollah declared that al-Arouri's death was "a serious assault on Lebanon, its people, its security, sovereignty, and resistance" and warned that "this crime will never pass without response and punishment." Iran, a significant supporter of both groups, stated that al-Arouri's killing would "undoubtedly ignite another surge in the veins of resistance."
Lebanese foreign minister urges restraint
Meanwhile, Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib has urged Hezbollah to engage in dialogue with the government instead of retaliating. He expressed concern about Lebanon being dragged into a regional war and called on Western countries to pressure Israel to cease its actions in Lebanon and Gaza. It is pertinent to note that since the start of the Hamas-Israel war on October 7, Hezbollah and other Islamist terrorists have been pounding northern Israel with rockets, mortars, and bombs.
