Hezbollah leader, Hassan Nasrallah, has responded to yesterday’s killing of the senior Hamas figure Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut, blaming Israel for the attack.
The Hezbollah leader says he offers condolences to Hamas and describes the killing as “flagrant Israeli aggression on Beirut’s Dahiyeh [a suburb]”.
Hezbollah has previously warned Israel against carrying out attacks in Lebanon, though Israel has not acknowledged involvement in al-Arouri’s death.
The leader of the armed group Hezbollah, Hassan Nasrallah, has begun a speech in Lebanon.
Hezbollah is a key ally of both Iran and Hamas, as well as being the most powerful military in Lebanon. It is also classified as a terrorist organisation by many, including the US, UK, EU, the Arab League and several Arab nations.
Exchanges of fire between the Iranian-backed militia and Israel have been taking place for months across the border, in response to the war in Gaza.
Nasrallah’s speech was previously scheduled for the fourth anniversary of the killing of top Iranian general Qasem Solemani in a US air strike in Iraq. A memorial commemorating his death was hit by a “terrorist attack” earlier today, according to Iranian officials, leading to more than 100 deaths in southern Iran.
But following the killing of senior Hamas politician Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut yesterday, many are anticipating Nasrallah to respond to the attack in Beirut. He has previously said there would be a severe reaction to any Israeli killing on Lebanese soil.
