LBCI exclusive: Israel used GBU 39 B Small Diameter Bomb precision guided glide bomb in Saleh al Arouris assassination

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In an operation displaying remarkable precision, Israel targeted the apartment of the Deputy Head of the Political Bureau of Hamas, Saleh al-Arouri, along with six of his associates in the southern suburbs of Beirut.

The apartment, situated between the Moawad and Al-Msharafieh intersections, is not officially declared a Hamas office but is known for coordinating meetings and serving as an unofficial coordination center for Hamas.

Ongoing updates on developments in Gaza were discussed, particularly with the group's members residing in Beirut, constantly monitoring developments in Gaza, according to Hamas sources speaking to LBCI.

Investigations are underway to determine whether the breach leading to the successful targeting was technical or involved human intelligence.

According to security information, the building is exposed on the ground, and it is likely that the targeting was carried out from the seaside, considering the clear visibility from that direction. Further supporting this hypothesis is the evident flash of the explosion in video footage taken from the sea.

What methods were used to carry out this assassination?

The apartment was targeted with six missiles, four of which detonated, while two remained unexploded, as seen in images obtained by LBCI.

The missiles used belong to the GBU 39-B category, precise and guided munitions, each weighing 129 kilograms. The size of these missiles supports the notion that they were launched by fighter jets, not drones.

With a range of up to 150 kilometers, the GBU 39-B can be remotely launched, explaining the absence of audible warplane sounds in Beirut. Lebanese radars did not detect warplane movements, possibly due to the radar-evading capabilities of certain military aircraft.

A third hypothesis suggests that the missiles were launched from a warship. The precision of the Israeli operation directly hit the apartment, while the initial data on the targeted car indicated damage from missile shrapnel.