Hamas confirmed on its official channel Al-Aqsa TV the attack that killed six fighters, including al-Aruri, deputy head of the Palestinian Islamic Movement's political office, and the leader's bodyguards. The attack raised fears among Arab countries and the international community about the risk of the conflict spreading to other parts of the Middle East.
Lebanon's prime minister responded to the Israeli attack by calling it a “crime” aimed at involving Lebanon in the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip.In a statement published on the social network X, Najib Mikati said, “This new Israeli crime aims to drag Lebanon into a new phase of conflict after a series of daily attacks in the south, which have caused numerous martyrs and injuries.”
“We call on the countries concerned to put pressure on Israel to stop the attack”the Lebanese leader asked, accusing Israel of “exporting its failures” in the Gaza Strip to Lebanon's southern border, aiming to impose “new realities” of war.
Israel “does not tire of killing and destroying everyone near and far”, Mikati continued, adding that Lebanon “remains, as always, committed to international resolutions on this conflict”.
A few hours later, Lebanon's head of the U.N. He ordered an urgent complaint to be submitted to the Security Council.
The United Nations, in turn, considered this Israeli attack that kills Hamas No. 2 Saleh al-Aruri in Beirut “extremely disturbing”. A spokesman for the UN Secretary-General called for maximum restraint by all parties.
“The Secretary-General calls on all parties to exercise maximum restraint and take urgent measures to reduce tensions in the region”Florencia Soto Nino told the media.
“We don't want any hasty measures that could trigger more violence”The UN spokesperson added.
The Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority, Mohammed Shtayyeh, characterized this. In an indirect reference to Israel, he attacked it as “a crime bearing the identity of its perpetrators” and warned of “the dangers and consequences that may arise from this crime”.
Reacting to Tuesday's attack, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Khanani suggested the death of the Hamas official would further fuel anti-Israel protests.
“The blood of the martyr will no doubt start a new wave of resistance and motivation in the veins of resistance and motivation to fight against the Zionist occupiers, not only in Palestine, but in the region and among all freedom seekers in the world.”The official said Tuesday's attack was a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The French president has also warned that there is a risk of the conflict spreading. Emmanuel Macron insisted on Tuesday “that It is especially important to avoid any escalation in Lebanon, and France will continue to send these messages to all actors directly or indirectly involved in the region.
In a statement, the French presidency confirmed that Macron had a telephone conversation with Israeli opposition leader and member of the emergency government Benny Gantz. The French head of state expressed “deep concern at the very high number of civilian deaths and the absolute humanitarian emergency” in the Gaza Strip.
The French President recalled It underscored “Israel's imperative” to protect civilians and the “urgency” of providing humanitarian aid to the people of Gaza, while recommending “a lasting ceasefire with the help of all regional and international partners”.
Hamas will never be defeated
Hamas's political chief said the Palestinian Islamist movement “will never be defeated” after the attack in Beirut.
“The movement whose leaders and founders fell like martyrs for the dignity of our people and our nation will never be defeated”Ismail Haniyeh said in a televised speech.
The head of the radical Palestinian movement, who lives in Qatar, invoked the history and movement of the opposition to argue that after “the assassination of its leaders”, Hamas “became even stronger and more determined”.
“The killing of the great national leader and brave fighter Saleh al-Aruri and his brothers movement leaders and workers on Lebanese territory by the Zionist occupation is an act of terrorism, a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty. An extension of their aggression against our people and our nation”he added.
Haniyeh accused Israel of “Zionist aggression” for the “cowardly murder” of Palestinian leaders. The Beirut bombing “demonstrates once again that this enemy in the Gaza Strip has been unable to achieve any of its militant objectives.”
However, the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades – the armed wing of Hamas whose co-founder al-Aruri – vowed to “respond” to his death.
Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah also guaranteed that Saleh al-Aruri's “murder” would “not go unpunished.”
“The killing of Saleh al-Arouri in the heart of Beirut's southern suburbs is a serious aggression against Lebanon (…) and will not go unanswered or unpunished”Hezbollah asserted in a statement.
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