According to numerous reports coming out of Lebanon, Saleh al-Arouri, may the villain’s name be erased, the second man in the HAMAS hierarchy, was eliminated in Beirut this evening. Arouri, who was released from the Israeli prison as part of the deal to free Sergeant First Class Shalit in 2011. Arouri was considered the vice-chief of HAMAS, Ismail Haniyeh.
It was Arouri who directed HAMAS terror from Judea and Samaria and was directly responsible for planning and carrying out a huge number of terror attacks against Israelis. HAMAS also called him the “architect” of the horrific massacre of Simchat Torah. No wonder he was one of the most wanted candidates for liquidation.
Recently, after moving from Turkey to Lebanon, Arouri has been active in strengthening the Lebanese branch of HAMAS, responsible for dozens of anti-tank and other rocket attacks on Israeli territory, as well as terrorist attacks on the Lebanese border, even before the current war. Several other less senior but also important terrorists were eliminated together with him, including the head of HAMAS operations in Lebanon.
There is no doubt that this highly successful operation dealt a major blow to HAMAS’s tactical capabilities.
In the past, Hezbollah chief Nasrallah had threatened to retaliate harshly against Israel if it eliminated senior HAMAS terrorists inside Lebanon. Having recovered from the initial shock, the leaders of Hizbullah are already threatening a large-scale response and Israel is taking these statements very seriously. The Israel Defense Forces are on high alert in anticipation of possible provocations by Hizbullah, which, G-d willing, it will have to counter.
When the people of Israel take the direct path and strike their enemies, with G-d’s help, they receive the blessing, success and G-d`s help.
In my opinion, Hizbullah will not launch a major war because, after all, this is not about their own commander, but only one of the HAMAS leaders. It should be noted that a number of high-ranking ( however not very high-level) HAMAS leaders have already been eliminated without any significant reaction from Hizbullah.
It is true that this time Arouri was eliminated directly inside Lebanon, not in Gaza, Judea or Samaria. In other words, this is a colossal blow to Hizbullah’s credibility. Therefore, the outrage and threatening rhetoric of the heads of the Lebanese satellites of the Iranian regime is understandable. Nevertheless, I believe that since Arouri was not a representative of Hizbullah, the latter will not dare to start a full-scale military clash with the Israeli army because of him. At least not at this very moment, when Israel is waiting and ready for such a development.
However, it is highly likely that Nasrallah will launch a provocation that surpasses anything we have encountered so far. Therefore, the vigilance and readiness of our army is now very high.
And a few more details about the elimination:
1. Aruri was eliminated in Beirut in an airstrike on Beirut’s Dahiya neighborhood, a Hizbullah stronghold.
2. At least four or five other terrorists were killed along with him, including at least two high-ranking terrorist leaders — one from Hamas headquarters in Syria, the other, as already mentioned, the direct head of Hamas operations in Lebanon (the head of the Lebanese branch of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigade).
3. Israel has not made any official statement claiming responsibility for the assassination. Moreover, the Prime Minister instructed government ministers not to give interviews on the subject.
4. HAMAS announced that it was breaking off all communication about the hostage release deal ( as though, prior to this, it had been willing to talk).
The elimination of Arouri, who was considered one of the candidates for the position of the head of all HAMAS, was a heavy and extremely painful blow to the group. This is not only a blow to prestige, but also a real damage, because Arouri was responsible for coordinating and directing operations against Israelis both in Israel and from Lebanon and Syria, and was also a crucial communication link between HAMAS and the Iranian regime, providing his group with significant financial revenues.
“Thus, let all your enemies perish, O Lord!” “At the destruction of the wicked there is rejoicing”!
The Israel Defense Forces have sufficient forces on the border with Lebanon and Syria — both to prevent possible Hizbullah actions" and to strike back.
Currently, GPS signal jammers have been turned on in large parts of Israel to thwart possible launching of GPS-guided rockets by Hizbullah.
I’ll say it again:
My personal assessment is that Hizbullah will not declare a major war, since this is after all the issue of eliminating a senior HAMAS official, not Hizbullah. It will certainly try to retaliate, but in a way that does not end up provoking a war. Lebanese HAMAS may also try to carry out a large-scale operation. Therefore, the readiness of our army is now at a high level.