Israel has insisted the assassination of a Hamas leader in Beirut was not an attack on Lebanon, as its enemies warned of "punishment" for his death.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied that it killed Saleh al-Arouri, but a spokesman called it a "surgical strike against the Hamas leadership".

Hamas denounced it as a "terrorist act", while its ally Hezbollah said it was an assault on Lebanese sovereignty.

Lebanon's PM accused Israel of trying to "drag" it into a regional war.

Lebanese media report that Arouri, a deputy political leader of Hamas, was killed in a drone strike in southern Beirut on Tuesday along with six others - two Hamas military commanders and four other members.

He was a key figure in the Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades, Hamas's armed wing, and a close ally of Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader. He had been in Lebanon acting as a connection between his group and Hezbollah.

There have been near daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, but so far the violence has been limited to the area along the Israel-Lebanon border.

Hezbollah - which, like Hamas, is considered a terrorist organisation by Israel, the UK and others - is the largest political and military force in Lebanon and has ministers in the country's government.


The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) refused to comment on the assassination of Saleh al-Arouri, but said its troops were "highly prepared for any scenario".

"The IDF is in a very high state of readiness in all arenas, in defence and offence," spokesman Rear Adm Daniel Hagari told a briefing.

"The most important thing to say tonight is that we are focused and remain focused on fighting Hamas," he added.

Israeli government adviser Mark Regev also stopped short of confirming Israel had carried out the attack, but he told MSNBC: "Whoever did it, it must be clear that this was not an attack on the Lebanese state.

"It was not an attack even on Hezbollah, the terrorist organisation.

"Whoever did this did a surgical strike against the Hamas leadership. Whoever did this has a gripe with Hamas. That is very clear."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-67866346.amp

He passed away alongside some Hamas fighters in Beirut. IDF as usual have refused to comment