Rockets against Israel
Following the assassination of Hamas deputy leader Saleh al-Aruri in Lebanon, pro-Iranian Hezbollah said it fired more than 60 rockets at an Israeli military base on Friday. Israel confirmed the bombing. The military responded with attacks on a “terrorist cell”.
06.01.2024 09.08
Online since today, 9:08 am
“As part of the initial response to the murder” of Aruri, Hezbollah fired “on the Meron air base with 62 different types of rockets,” the Hamas-allied militia said. The Israeli army immediately responded with counterattacks. Initially there were no reports of possible victims or damage.
Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah warned yesterday of the consequences for Lebanon if his militia does not respond to Aruri's death. Hezbollah cannot remain silent in the face of such an incident. “This crime will never go unanswered or unpunished,” Hezbollah said.
Israel neither denied nor confirmed involvement
Aruri, deputy head of Hamas's political office, was killed in an explosion in a suburb of the Lebanese capital, Beirut. Hezbollah militia blames the explosion on the Israeli army. A US official in Washington also said Aruri's death was the result of an Israeli attack. Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Aruri's violent death.
IMAGO/ZUMA Wire/Daniel Carde The deputy head of Hamas was killed in Beirut
Aruri, who Israel considered the mastermind of the West Bank attacks, had long been considered a possible attack target. He is said to have been responsible for Hamas' activities in the West Bank. “Whoever did this, it must be clear that it was not an attack on the Lebanese State. “It wasn’t even an attack on Hezbollah,” said Israeli government security adviser Mark Regev. The alleged attack targeted Hamas exclusively.
Hezbollah in Lebanon, which is allied with Hamas and in turn supported by Iran, immediately threatened to retaliate for Aruri's death. The Lebanese government initially contacted the militia to prevent them from launching a wave of attacks. The government is only able to act to a certain extent. The country is currently led by Prime Minister Najib Mikati. For more than a year, the election of a president has repeatedly failed due to power struggles within the political elite.