Israel and Hamas have been at war since October 7. Fighting has moved from the Gaza Strip into neighboring Lebanon. A senior member of the terrorist group has been assassinated.
A drone strike in Beirut by Israel killed Hamas senior commander Saleh al-Arouri on January 2. The explosion also claimed the lives of six other terrorist organization members. The press has painted al-Arouri as a pivotal player within the organization. He is said to have strengthened the bond between Hamas and the network of militants supported by Iran. He was also instrumental in the transfer of personnel and weaponry to the Gaza Strip and other Middle Eastern locations.
According to Emile Hokayem, regional security director at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, Hamas will take a hit due to al-Arouri’s defeat, as reported by The New York Times. He went on to say that the assassin was a “credibility as a commander” and a “key strategist” for the organization, adept at “managing high-level political relationships.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a stern warning to “Hamas leaders wherever they are” upon the outbreak of hostilities. With the capture of al-Arouri by Israel, he fulfilled that vow.
The loss of al-Arouri has heightened fears that the fighting may escalate into a regional war in the Middle East. Targeted strikes on Lebanese soil would lead to a “powerful response,” according to Hassan Nasrallah, leader of Hezbollah in Lebanon. The commander of Hezbollah promised revenge after the incident, stating that the “dangerous crime [would] not stay without a response and punishment.”
Nasrallah continued by saying that a conflict with Lebanon would be “very, very, very costly” and that anyone thinking about starting one would “regret it.”
It is typical of Israel that the nation has not claimed responsibility for the killing. Currently, in the Gaza Strip, Netanyahu’s forces are engaged in a ground conflict with Hamas. Thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced as a result of the fighting.
