Array
Israel carried out the deadly strike in Lebanon on Tuesday that killed senior Hamas leader Saleh Al-Arouri, a US official told CNN.
The Biden administration was not told about the operation in advance, the official said.
Arouri, deputy head of Hamas’ political bureau, was “martyred in a treacherous Zionist airstrike in Beirut,” Hamas media outlet Al Aqsa TV said.
If confirmed, Arouri would be the most senior Hamas official killed by Israeli forces since the start of the war sparked by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel.
Israel did not claim responsibility for the strike in Beirut, which was condemned by Hamas’ regional allies, raising fears of a potential escalation in fighting in the Middle East.
French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday urged Israel to avoid escalation “particularly in Lebanon,” according to a statement from the French presidency.
Here’s what else you need to know:
Rising toll: Israeli attacks on Gaza have killed at least 22,185 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Ministry of Health, as the Israel Defense Forces intensifies its military campaign in the central part of the territory.
