Israeli media plays down Hezbollah's likely retaliation to Hamas leader’s assassination

JERUSALEM

The Israeli media on Wednesday played down the Hezbollah group's likely retaliation to the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri, saying it would not lead to an all-out war.

According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, Hezbollah will look for a response that won't cause a large-scale war.

On Aug. 28, Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah warned Israel that any assassination on the Lebanese territory would prompt a strong response from the group.

The Israeli police were instructed to be on high alert against any attack on Israel following Arouri's killing, KAN reported.

The Hamas group will plan a response to Arouri's assassination, but may take some time, KAN said.

On Tuesday evening, an Israeli drone assassinated the Hamas group's deputy chief Saleh al-Arouri in the Lebanese capital Beirut along with two commanders of its military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades.

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

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

At least 22,313 Palestinians have since been killed and 57,296 others injured, according to Gaza’s health authorities, while nearly 1,200 Israelis are believed to have been killed in the Hamas attack.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar