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Saleh al-Arouri, a founding member of the Al-Qassam Brigades (the military wing of Hamas) and vice-chairman of the Hamas political bureau, was assassinated on Tuesday at around 5:45 PM local time in an explosion in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The Palestinian Islamist movement confirmed the death of the vice-chairman, along with two other officials, including Abou Amer, Al-Arouri’s advisor, and the Hamas operations chief in southern Lebanon.
The powerful explosion in the Mawad area in the southern suburbs of Beirut caused significant damage to the building housing the Hamas office, setting several cars on fire.
Israeli media reports suggested that the explosion was a drone attack by the Israeli army. One strike targeted the apartment where Palestinian officials were gathered, and another targeted Saleh al-Arouri’s car parked at the base of the building.
Unconfirmed preliminary reports indicated 6 deaths and 11 injuries by 7:30 PM.
Civil defense worked to extinguish the fire and transport the injured. According to correspondents from This is Beirut present at the scene, Hezbollah security personnel are currently deployed in the neighborhood and the targeted building.
Immediately after the explosion, Israeli aircraft flew over Beirut, the southern suburbs and Khaldeh, heading towards Saida. The planes also flew at low altitude over Tripoli.
According to Israeli media, Saleh al-Arouri was scheduled to meet with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday. Nasrallah is set to deliver a speech on Wednesday commemorating the anniversary of Qassem Suleimani’s death, as confirmed by the press office of the pro-Iranian group.
According to some sources, a Palestinian faction meeting was taking place in the targeted apartment.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the explosion as “a new Israeli act aimed at dragging Lebanon into a new phase of confrontations after the continuous daily attacks in the South.”
He emphasized Lebanon’s commitment to respecting international decisions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Mikati also stated that the war decision was in Israel’s hands, and he discussed the explosion’s details and circumstances with relevant military and security leaders.
In another response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisor told MSNBC that Israel did not claim responsibility for the Beirut attack, clarifying that it was not aimed at the Lebanese government or Hezbollah. However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that Netanyahu instructed ministers not to comment on Saleh al-Arouri’s assassination.
Nonetheless, an anonymous US Defense official informed the Washington Post that the Israeli military was responsible for the attack and that an assessment was ongoing to confirm Arouri’s death.
Israeli media suggested that Hezbollah’s response to the strike in the southern suburbs would initiate a new phase of the conflict. Israeli officials declared that “al-Arouri’s assassination was a high-quality operation, and the fate of all Hamas leaders is death.”
Ezzat al-Richq, member of Hamas’ political bureau, affirmed that Saleh al-Arouri’s assassination would not affect “the continuation of the resistance.”
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The powerful explosion in the Mawad area in the southern suburbs of Beirut caused significant damage to the building housing the Hamas office, setting several cars on fire.
Israeli media reports suggested that the explosion was a drone attack by the Israeli army. One strike targeted the apartment where Palestinian officials were gathered, and another targeted Saleh al-Arouri’s car parked at the base of the building.
Unconfirmed preliminary reports indicated 6 deaths and 11 injuries by 7:30 PM.
Civil defense worked to extinguish the fire and transport the injured. According to correspondents from This is Beirut present at the scene, Hezbollah security personnel are currently deployed in the neighborhood and the targeted building.
Immediately after the explosion, Israeli aircraft flew over Beirut, the southern suburbs and Khaldeh, heading towards Saida. The planes also flew at low altitude over Tripoli.
According to Israeli media, Saleh al-Arouri was scheduled to meet with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah on Wednesday. Nasrallah is set to deliver a speech on Wednesday commemorating the anniversary of Qassem Suleimani’s death, as confirmed by the press office of the pro-Iranian group.
According to some sources, a Palestinian faction meeting was taking place in the targeted apartment.
Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati condemned the explosion as “a new Israeli act aimed at dragging Lebanon into a new phase of confrontations after the continuous daily attacks in the South.”
He emphasized Lebanon’s commitment to respecting international decisions, especially UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Mikati also stated that the war decision was in Israel’s hands, and he discussed the explosion’s details and circumstances with relevant military and security leaders.
In another response, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisor told MSNBC that Israel did not claim responsibility for the Beirut attack, clarifying that it was not aimed at the Lebanese government or Hezbollah. However, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office announced that Netanyahu instructed ministers not to comment on Saleh al-Arouri’s assassination.
Nonetheless, an anonymous US Defense official informed the Washington Post that the Israeli military was responsible for the attack and that an assessment was ongoing to confirm Arouri’s death.
Israeli media suggested that Hezbollah’s response to the strike in the southern suburbs would initiate a new phase of the conflict. Israeli officials declared that “al-Arouri’s assassination was a high-quality operation, and the fate of all Hamas leaders is death.”
Ezzat al-Richq, member of Hamas’ political bureau, affirmed that Saleh al-Arouri’s assassination would not affect “the continuation of the resistance.”
Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas’ Number 2
He was the co-founder of the Al-Qassam Brigades, #Hamas’ military wing, and he headed the group’s operations in the West Bank... Who was Saleh al-Arouri, killed on January 2 in Beirut? pic.twitter.com/3XUu0iAKl5
— This is Beirut (@ThisIsBeirut_) January 2, 2024
Saleh el-Arouri, Senior #Hamas Official and the Founder of Al-Qassam Brigades, Was Killed. pic.twitter.com/7s64zx68m1
— This is Beirut (@ThisIsBeirut_) January 2, 2024
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This Is Beirut
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