Israel was hit by an unprecedented rocket attack from the Gaza Strip on October 7, with Hamas movement's troops infiltrating border areas. On October 8, the Israeli government announced that it had invoked Article 40 of the Basic Law, which means the country was officially in a state of war.

US Was Not Informed in Advance About Killing of Hamas Official In Lebanon, State Dept. Says

08:27, 4 January 2024

WASHINGTON (Sputnik) - On Tuesday, a Hamas office in Beirut's southern suburbs was targeted in an attack believed to have been carried out by an Israeli drone. At least six people died in the attack, including Hamas's deputy political leader Saleh al-Arouri and two Hamas military commanders.

Sputnik

The United States was not given advanced notice about the drone strike that killed a senior Hamas official in Lebanon, State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller said on Wednesday during a press briefing.

"We were not informed in advance," Miller said, when asked whether the US was alerted ahead of the strike.

Lebanon's interim prime minister blamed the attack on Israel.

Israel-Palestine Escalation

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31 December 2023, 08:29

Miller also addressed Wednesday's explosions in the Iranian city of Kerman, noting that the United States was not involved "in any way" in them and Washington has no reason to believe Israel was involved either.

"The United States was not involved in any way and any suggestion to the contrary is ridiculous," Miller said during a press briefing. "We have no reason to believe that Israel was involved in this explosion."

Earlier on Wednesday, about 211 people died and several hundred more were injured as a result of explosions near the burial site of Iranian general Qasem Soleimani in the Iranian city of Kerman on the fourth anniversary of his assassination by the United States.