There is fresh concern tonight Middle East after Tuesday's killing of# a top Hamas leader in Beirut, Le AMNA NAWAZ: Israel has not acknowledged any# role in the attack, but it's spent today## awaiting possible retaliation by Hezbollah,# the powerful Lebanese militia backed by Iran In Lebanon today, the leader# of Hamas-allied Hezbollah,## Hassan Nasrallah, delivered a grave warning.
HASSAN NASRALLAH, Hezbollah Leader# (through translator): If the Israeli## enemy thinks about going to war agai no rules and no safeguards.
Yesterday's# crime was severe.
It will not go unpunishe AMNA NAWAZ: That in response to the# assassination of senior Hamas leader## Saleh al-Arouri at his home in Beirut# by a suspected Israeli drone strike.
Yesterday, the head of Hamas' political# wing, Ismail Haniyeh, lambasted the killing.
ISMAIL HANIYEH, Chairman, Hamas Political# Bureau (through translator): We affirm that## the assa Lebanese lands is a complete terrorist act,# a violation of Lebanon's sovereignty and an## expansion of Israel's hostility# against our people and nation.
AMNA NAWAZ: Israel has not publicly claimed# responsibility, but today, Mossad spy agency## chief David Barnea pledged to hunt down# everyone involved in the October 7 attacks.
DAVID BARNEA, Head of Israeli Mossad# (through translator): The Mossad is## committed to settling the score border on October 7.
It will take time, but# we will get them, no matter where they are.
AMNA NAWAZ: It's all deepening concerns of a# broader regional conflict.
Israel and Hezbollah## have been exchanging fire at the Lebanese border# since the war began.
And Iran-backed Houthi rebels## in Yemen have targeted several commercial# vessels in the Red Sea headed for Israel.
International shipping company Maersk announced# yesterday it's suspending all shipping traffic## following a weekend attack on one of its# vessels.
In the occupied West Bank today,## protests erupted over the killing# of al-Arouri.
And in the packed## encampments of war-torn Gaza, Palestinians# say the assassination will not deter Hamas.
MAN (through translator): If Saleh al-Arouri# is gone, a million others will emerge and## stronger than him.
Things won't stop# because of al-Arouri, God willing.
AMNA NAWAZ: Meanwhile, the U.S.# declassified intelligence yesterday## that corroborates Israeli claims that# Hamas used Gaza's largest hospital,## Al Shifa, to hold some Israeli hostages and# house command infrastructure.
It was raided## by the IDF in November, sparking widespread# condemnation by humanitarian organizations.
Back in Gaza, the southern town of Rafah# has turned into one massive tent city for## displaced Gazans.
There is no heat and no real# shelter from the cool, wet Mediterranean winter.
Zayda Al-Breem constantly has to clear water# off the tent roof so it doesn't collapse.
ZAYDA AL-BREEM, Displaced Gazan (through# translator): Displacement is somewhat## bearable, but displacement and on e covers this child and brings that# one closer.
A woman just asked me## for a desk pan to dispose of the# rainwater, but I don't have one.
AMNA NAWAZ: IDF bombings on areas# they fled continue.
Chaos erupted## across parts of the central and southern# strip today after devastating airstrikes,## a new year bringing new death, new destruction,# and new questions for what comes next.
And one of the biggest concerns as the war goes# on is the prospect of the conflict widening.
To decode what this means for the# region, we turn now to Randa Slim,## director of the Conflict Resolution and Track## II Dialogues Program at the Middle East# Randa, it's good to see you.
Tell us a little b What should we know about him?
And# what does his death mean for Hamas?
RANDA SLIM, Middle East Institute: Saleh al-Arouri# is the chair of the political bureau of Hamas.
He is also in charge of Hamas operations in# the West Bank.
He was one of the founders## of the military wing of Hamas, the Izzedine# al-Qassam Brigades.
And, more importantly, he's## also somebody who has been closely involved in the# relationship between Iran, Hamas, and Hezbollah.
There has been a rift between Hamas on one hand# and Iran and Hezbollah on the other after the## beginning of the Civil War in Syria and Hamas'# decision to side not with the Bashar al-Assad## regime, but with the opposition.
And, as a# result, Hamas' leaders left Damascus at the time.
And so, in the last five years, Saleh# al-Arouri has been involved in healing## that rift, in leading negotiations# between Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah.
AMNA NAWAZ: So, Randa, what's the impact of# al-Arouri's death on Hamas as an organization?
RANDA SLIM: Hamas is the type of organization# that can survive the death of al-Arouri,## as it has done in the past by# surviving the death of other## leaders who were assassinated# over the years by Israel.
And so I think it's going to be, in# the short term -- organizationally,## it's going to be difficult, but,# in the medium term to long term,## I think Hamas will be able to survive his death,# and it's not going to affect its operation.
Now, he was also involved, he has been involved# in the negotiation over the Israeli hostages## as representative of a wing of Hamas.
And# so how this attack and this assassination## affect those negotiations is yet to be seen.# It might derail them.
It might delay them.
AMNA NAWAZ: But, as you know, we're# constantly evaluating what every move## means for whether or not this conflict# could broaden into the wid If al-Arouri is in Lebanon as sort of the liaison,# the connection between Hamas and does his death mean that you see Hezbollah# entering the war in fuller force now?
RANDA SLIM: No, not at all.
I think Hezbollah into a larger escalation, into an all-out war.# Nasrallah Hezbollah, Hezbollah secretary-general,## in his speech today paid his condolences to# family of al-Arouri, to Hamas, but he did## not go into detail about this, dragging# them into any kind of major escalation.
In fact, to the contrary, he said that# they are losing so many fighters in the## south of Lebanon because they have been# calculating their move on that front very## carefully in order not to give Israel any# kind of reason to launch an all-out war.
However, he said that, if Israel were to drag us# into this war, the response is going to be great,## and there will be no limits to this response.# And he said Israel will know what I mean.
AMNA NAWAZ: Randa, what does that mean# to you when they say if Israel was to## drag us into that war?
What line# do you think needs t RANDA SLIM: You know, there are sublines that# are getting crossed every day.
And like today, there are unconfirmed reports# yet of a senior Hezbollah commander has been## targeted and killed in Naqoura in south# of Lebanon.
I think more of this kind of## assassination targeting Hezbollah in Lebanon,# especially in Beirut's southern suburbs, is,## I think, the red line that# Hezbollah will not tolerate.
Arouri was a Hamas member, was# a Palestinian.
Despite the fact## that he was killed and assassinated# in Hezbollah's security perimeter,## in Beirut's southern suburbs, I still think# this is not a major red line for Hezbollah.## However, Nasrallah said in his speech, his# assassination will not go without response.
But, of course, very much in line# with their modus operandi, he did not,## of course, say anything about what kind of# response and when that response will happen.
AMNA NAWAZ: We should point out Israel has not## publicly claimed responsibility bu t they have repeatedly said they will go# after Hamas leadership wherever they are.
Do you see the possibility of Israel carrying# out targeted assassinations in other countries,## like Turkey or Qatar, where# we know Hamas leadership live?
RANDA SLIM: The intelligence services# in Turkey have already issued a warning## to Israel not to carry out the# assassination their territory.
I think it's going to be a little bit difficult# for Israel to do it on Qatari territory,## especially as they need Qatar's mediation# in the hostage file between them and Hamas,## at least until all hostages are released,# all Israeli hostages are released.
I think they will continue to target them in# Lebanon.
But after al-Arouri's assassination,## Hamas leaders might either leave Lebanon# or will take extra security precautions.
I think the fear -- the fact# that the assassination happened## in Beirut's southern suburbs also# raises a lot of concerns about the## security of Hezbollah leaders who# live and work in that area as well.
AMNA NAWAZ: That is Randa Slim,# director of conflict resolution at## the Middle East Institute, joining us from Beirut.
Randa, thank you so much.
Good to see you.
RANDA SLIM: Thank you very much.