Israeli army declines to comment on Hamas deputy chief’s assassination in Lebanon

The Israeli army on Tuesday declined to comment on the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

"The army is in a very high state of readiness on all fronts, defensively and offensively. We are fully prepared for any scenario," military spokesman Daniel Hagari told a press conference.

''The most important thing we must comment on tonight is that we are focusing on fighting Hamas,'' he added.

Arouri was assassinated in an Israeli drone attack on a Hamas office in the Lebanese capital Beirut, according to Lebanon's National News Agency.

Hamas confirmed that Arouri and two commanders of its military wing, the Qassam Brigades, were killed in the attack, which left at least six people dead.

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

Israel has launched relentless air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip since a cross-border attack by Hamas on Oct. 7.

At least 22,185 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,035 others injured, according to Gaza's health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

The Israeli onslaught has left Gaza in ruins, with 60% of the enclave's infrastructure damaged or destroyed, and nearly 2 million residents displaced amid acute shortages of food, clean water, and medicines