The number two of the Palestinian movement Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, was killed on Tuesday January 2 by an Israeli strike in the stronghold of Hezbollah, near Beirut. It is the first Israeli air attack against the southern suburbs of Beirut since the 2006 war. It comes on the eve of a planned speech by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Even before October 7, Hezbollah had threatened Israel with a very harsh reaction in the event of the elimination of Saleh al-Arouri.
2 mins
Vice-president of the Hamas political bureau and responsible for the West Bank, Saleh al-Arouri was a key figure in the Palestinian Islamist movement. Established in Lebanon for several years, Saleh al-Arouri was a supporter of close cooperation with Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah. It was also in the heart of the southern suburbs of Beirut, a stronghold of Hassan Nasrallah’s party, that he was killed, reports our correspondent in Beirut, Paul Khalifeh.
After spending almost twenty years in total in Israeli prisons, Saleh al-Arouri was released in 2010 on the condition that he go into exile. His house, empty, was destroyed with explosives by the Israeli army in the occupied West Bank at the end of October 2023, according to witnesses.
He was also considered involved in the Palestinian group’s military affairs for having co-founded its armed wing of Hamas, the Al-Qassam Brigades.
What will the response be?
No official reactions in Israel. The Israeli Prime Minister ordered members of his government not to grant any interviews to the media either in Israel or abroad and not to directly discuss the circumstances of the elimination of Saleh al-Arouri, reports our correspondent at Jerusalem, Michael Paul.
In Israel, Saleh al-Arouri was considered the architect of the October 7 attack and the most important Hamas figure in orchestrating terrorist attacks against Israel in the West Bank.
Since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas, Israeli leaders had clearly indicated their intention to eliminate all officials of the Palestinian organization who participated in planning the surprise attack against Israel.
Benyamin Netanyahu indicated that he had tasked the Mossad, the Israeli secret service, with this mission. Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described those responsible for Hamas and Islamic Jihad as “ undead ”, according to his own expression.
Even before October 7, Hezbollah had threatened Israel with a very harsh reaction in the event of the elimination of Saleh al-Arouri. And in Israel, a response is now expected.
The Lebanese interim Prime Minister, Najib Mikati, denounced a “ new Israeli crime » and considered that it was a new attempt by Israel to push Lebanon to take part in the war.
Read also[En direct] Hamas number 2 killed in Israeli attack in Beirut