(new: reaction of the Israeli army)
BEIRUT (dpa-AFX) – The deputy head of the political bureau of the Islamist Hamas, Saleh al-Aruri, is said to have died in an explosion in Beirut. The German Press Agency learned this from Hezbollah militia circles after the explosion on Tuesday evening. The Hezbollah-affiliated Al-Manar television station also reported that Al-Aruri was dead. In total, at least three people were killed, the state news agency NNA reported.
The explosion occurred in front of a Hamas office and, according to police sources, in a southern district of Beirut where Hezbollah has a strong presence. The exact reasons behind the explosion initially remained unclear. However, suspicions quickly arose that it could be a targeted killing – possibly by Israel’s army or on Israel’s behalf. Israel’s military did not want to comment on the reports when asked.
Al-Aruri, whom Israel saw as the mastermind of attacks in the West Bank, had long been considered a possible target for an attack. He was considered responsible for the activities of Hamas’s military wing in the West Bank. Israel and Hamas exchanged threats in the summer – even before their ongoing war began. Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Al-Aruri “knows very well why he and his friends are in hiding.”
Videos following the explosion in Beirut showed at least one car burning near a busy street. Ambulance sirens could also be heard. White smoke rose over the area.
The explosion occurred on the eve of the third anniversary of the killing of General Ghassem Soleimani of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The USA killed him in a drone strike in Iraq in 2020. Recently, senior Iranian general Sejed-Rasi Mousavi was killed in a suspected Israeli air strike in Syria./jot/DP/stw