In a surprising turn of events, a recent strike in the suburbs of Beirut has claimed the life of one of Hamas' top officials, as well as several other members of the organization. The senior leader, Saleh al-Aruri, who has been designated a terrorist by the US since 2015, was considered one of the founders of Hamas' military wing. Israel, though not officially taking responsibility, has been revealed as the culprit behind the attack.
The strike took place in the Dahiya quarter of Beirut, a stronghold of the Shiite organization Hezbollah. This area is also home to other members of the so-called Axis of Resistance, such as Jabal Muqama, the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and Iran. Al-Aruri had relocated to Beirut, fearing an assassination attempt from Israel. Hamas leaders believed that as long as they held Israeli hostages, they would be safe from Israeli attacks. However, this recent strike proves their assumption to be mistaken.
