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Rabat – Lebanon has formally lodged a complaint with the United Nations Security Council, accusing Israel of launching an attack in Beirut that resulted in the death of seven people, including the deputy chief of Hamas Saleh al-Arouri, Lebanon’s news agency (NNA) reported today.
Lebanon’s Caretaker Foreign Minister, Abdallah Bou Habib instructed the country’s Permanent Representative to the UN to file the formal complaint on January 4. The official complaint asserted that Israel fired six missiles in the assault, targeting a residential area in the southern suburbs of Beirut.
The complaint labeled the attack as “the most dangerous escalation since 2006 [the war between Hezbollah and Israel],” constituting a violation of Lebanon’s sovereignty and posing a threat to its civilian population and aviation.
In addition, it emphasized the severity of the attack, urging the UN Security Council to condemn the assault and exert pressure on Israel to cease further escalations.
Lebanon is thus seeking decisive action to prevent future Israeli aggressions and potential regional entanglement in a devastating conflict, the Lebanese news agency concluded.
The Israeli drone strike targeted a stronghold for Hezbollah and Palestinian groups, including Hamas, on Tuesday.
Born in Ramallah in 1966, the assassinated Hamas deputy chief was a key spokesperson for the group. He was one of the founders of Hamas’ armed wing, the Qassam Brigades.
He had spent 15 years in Israeli jail before living in exile in Lebanon. The US Government designated him as a “global terrorist” in 2015 and offered a $5 million reward for his capture.
Al-Arouri’s assassination has caused widespread condemnation in both Lebanon and Palestine, with thousands taking to the streets to mourn his death. In addition, Hezbollah has vowed retaliation against those responsible for the attack, which Israel has not claimed responsibility for.
Thousands of people attended his funeral in Beirut on Thursday, carrying banners with his pictures and waving Palestinian and Hamas flags.
