An explosion hit southern Beirut, destroying several cars and killing Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri, according to officials from both Hamas and Israel.
Footage shared on social media showed the burnt out wreckage of several vehicles, as crowds gathered nearby after the attack on Tuesday.
Dahyia, where the explosion took place, is a residential area but also home to many members of the Lebanese armed movement Hezbollah, which is an ally of Hamas.
There is no confirmation of who else might have been killed, but Hamas said two other Qassam Brigade commanders were also killed.
Arouri was a founding member of the armed wing of Hamas, which led the attacks on southern Israel on October 7, killing at least 1,140 Israelis.
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The group has also been fighting Israeli soldiers involved in the ground invasion of Gaza, which was launched in retaliation for the attack.
Arouri was a member of the external leadership of Hamas, having spent more than a decade outside of the occupied Palestinian territories.
Israel has previously vowed to attack Hamas leaders outside of the occupied Palestinian territories, including in Lebanon, Qatar and Turkey.
It is also involved in low-level skirmishes on Lebanon’s southern border, launching periodic air strikes against Hezbollah and allied Palestinian factions.
These attacks have often resulted in civilian deaths.
This is a developing story…