Israel on alert for Hezbollah response after Hamas leader killed 

Israel was on high alert for an escalation with Hezbollah on Wednesday after one of the top leaders of Palestinian Hamas was killed in a strike in Beirut that was widely blamed on Israel Picture: Hussein Malla/AP

Israel was on high alert for an escalation with Hezbollah on Wednesday after one of the top leaders of Palestinian Hamas was killed in a strike in Beirut that was widely blamed on Israel and heightened the risk of a broader Middle East conflict.

The killing of Saleh Arouri, the most senior Hamas member to die since the war in Gaza erupted nearly three months ago, provided a morale boost for Israelis still reeling from Hamas’s October 7 attack as the militants put up stiff resistance in Gaza and continue to hold scores of hostages.