Heavy fighting is raging in central and southern Gaza as fears mount of a regional escalation following a strike in Beirut that killed one of the top Hamas leaders. The strike was widely blamed on Israel but it’s implications for the war remain unclear. Israeli officials have not commented on the strike Tuesday that killed Saleh Arouri, the most senior Hamas member slain since the war in Gaza erupted nearly three months ago. The Israeli military spokesman said “we are on high readiness for any scenario.” Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack from Gaza into southern Israel killed around 1,200 people, and some 240 others were taken hostage. Israel’s assaults in Gaza have killed more than 22,100 people, according to the Health Ministry in the Hamas-ruled territory.
