The Lebanese government has called on the Hezbollah group to refrain from revenge after an Israeli attack in Beirut killed the founder of Hamas’ military wing.
Lebanese Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib said last night that his government had told the group they “should not respond alone” to the killing of senior Hamas official Saleh Aruri.
“We don’t manage the group, we don’t tell them what to do, but we have a dialogue with them on this topic,” Habib said, adding that it will be known in the next 24 hours whether Hezbollah will retaliate.
“We are very worried, the Lebanese do not want to be drawn into, even Hezbollah does not want to be drawn into a regional war,” the minister said, according to the BBC.
The Lebanese group Hezbollah said the killing of senior Hamas officials in Beirut was a “serious attack on Lebanon” and a “dangerous development” in the war with Israel.
“This crime will not go unanswered and unpunished. We are faithful to our principles and commitments we made. This is a day we will remember,” said Hezbollah.
A total of six people were killed in the attack on the premises of Hamas. The Israeli army has not yet commented on the incident.
El Aruri was the deputy leader of Hamas abroad and the de facto leader of Hamas’ military wing in the West Bank, according to Israeli media.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amia Abdollahian said today that the attack that killed Aururi was a “cowardly terrorist operation”.
“The evil action of the terrorist machinery of this terrorist regime in other countries represents a real threat to peace and security and a serious alarm for the security of countries in the region,” he added.
A spokesman for the UN peacekeeping force Unifil in Lebanon said the organization was “deeply concerned” about a possible escalation in the region.
“We are deeply concerned about any possibility of escalation that could have devastating consequences for people on both sides of the blue line. We continue to call on all parties for a ceasefire and on all influential interlocutors to call for restraint,” the UN said.
