Intensity of Israeli attack that killed Hamas deputy chief apparent at dawn

By Idris Okudici

ISTANBUL (AA) - After the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri in an Israeli attack in Lebanon’s capital of Beirut, the building housing the Palestinian resistance group’s office was largely destroyed.

Anadolu talked with witnesses of the late-night attack that killed Arouri and six others.

- 3 missiles fired

The manager of a cafe next to the building said he was in the shop at the time of the attack and heard a very loud noise from three missiles that were fired.

He said two missiles hit the office building and one hit cars parked in front of the building.

- Dust and smoke rise from the office after explosion

“I parked my car on the street and went home, then a powerful explosion occurred. After the explosion, the cars caught fire, and a large cloud of dust rose from the office,” a Lebanese worker in a nearby building told Anadolu.

Noting that the sky was dark, Riza Ali said he had not seen casualties from the attack but reported significant damage to parked cars due to the explosion.

- Windows of surrounding buildings shattered

Security officials were seen collecting pieces of the missile used in the attack after daybreak.

After completing initial examinations related to the attack, cleanup efforts began on busy Mecherfeh Street in Dahiye district, described as a "stronghold of Hezbollah" in Beirut.

In the densely populated area where only civilians reside, the windows of many buildings were completely shattered and there were holes in the walls due to shrapnel fragments.

- Arouri assassination

Hamas confirmed Tuesday the assassination of deputy chief Saleh Arouri in Beirut.

The group said two commanders of its armed wing, the Qassam Brigades, were also killed, according to the Al-Rai news agency.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported earlier that Arouri was killed in an Israeli drone strike on a Hamas office in Mecherfeh in southern Beirut. At least six people were killed in the attack.

Arouri is the most senior Hamas leader to have been killed by Israel since the outbreak of the Gaza conflict on Oct. 7.

*Writing by Esra Tekin in Istanbul