The leader of Hamas, Mr Ismail Haniya, said Tuesday evening that the assassination of the second in command of the Palestinian Islamist movement Saleh al-Aruri from an Israeli strike in Beirut constitutes a “terrorist act”, a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and an escalation of Israel’s hostile actions against the Palestinians.

The occupation forces will not succeed in their attempt to subdue the resistance of the Palestinian people, Ismail Haniya said, lamenting the loss of the vice president of Hamas’ political office and two commanders of the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the movement’s military arm.

As reported by the official Hamas channel Al-Aqsa TV in a post on the Telegram platform, Mr Samir Fidi Abu Amer and Azzam al-Aqra Abu Amer were killed by the Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of the Lebanese capital.