Large crowd gathers in Beirut to mourn the death of Saleh al-Arouri, Hamas deputy leader

Thousands of people gathered in Beirut to attend the funeral of Saleh al-Arouri, the deputy leader of Hamas, who was assassinated in a recent attack. The funeral procession saw crowds carrying banners and waving Palestinian and Hamas flags through the streets, accompanied by music, prayers, and heavy gunfire. Al-Arouri was a key figure in Hamas's armed wing and a close ally of the Hamas leader. His assassination not only dealt a blow to Hamas but also had implications for their ally, Hezbollah, a powerful Lebanese movement backed by Iran. Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, condemned the assassination as an "Israeli aggression" and vowed that it would not go unpunished. However, he did not openly threaten Israel nor indicate how Hezbollah might respond. Hezbollah has been attacking Israeli positions almost daily since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, but they have been careful to prevent a full-scale conflict. With Lebanon facing a severe economic crisis and little public support for a military confrontation, it is unlikely that Hezbollah's strategy will change. Israeli authorities have warned Hezbollah against escalating the conflict, and some officials have expressed support for further action to eliminate the threat posed by the group. Nasrallah is expected to address his supporters soon, and while he may want to avoid a bigger conflict with Israel, he needs to show a response to the attack in Beirut. However, any reaction is likely to be measured to avoid strong retaliation from Israel.