Recent statements from American officials clarify that the liquidation of Saleh al-Arouri, a senior Hamas leader associated with the movement’s leadership in Beirut, did not involve the United States. John Kirby, the strategic communications coordinator for the White House National Security Council, conveyed this position to the press, as reported by TASS. He stressed that Washington has not engaged in inquiries about who might be responsible for the incident, nor has it taken part in any actions related to it. In his remarks, a representative of the American administration stated unequivocally that the United States did not participate in the operation at any point in time.
Meanwhile, reports from Beirut indicate that al-Arouri, a prominent figure within Hamas, was among the leadership in the area who were affected by an Israeli drone strike on the Dahiya district, a primarily Shiite neighborhood in Lebanon’s capital. The strike resulted in the death of three Hamas office occupants, with injuries described as non-survivable for the others who were inside the building at the time. These details emerged on Tuesday, January 2, adding to the international discourse surrounding the incident.
Earlier in December, leaders within Hamas were reported to have held a discreet meeting, traveling to Turkey as part of ongoing discussions related to the conflict with Israel. The development reflected the movement’s efforts to coordinate strategy and responses beyond immediate regional boundaries, highlighting the interconnected nature of the wider Arab and Middle Eastern political landscape during this period.
In another external remark, the former Israeli prime minister spoke of a long-term objective to neutralize Hamas, signaling determination within Israeli political circles about how to address what they perceive as a persistent threat. The repeated references to possible actions against Hamas underscore the high-stakes environment in which diplomatic and military conversations are taking place, particularly in the context of wider regional security concerns and international reactions.