A top Hezbollah official said Hamas revealed to the Iran-backed group how a last-minute decision to ditch phones in Doha saved them from an Israeli strike.
The Israeli army attack targeted Hamas negotiators while they were studying Gaza ceasefire proposals on Tuesday. Hamas said its top negotiator and other senior officials survived, but five others were killed. A Qatari security officer also died at the scene.
“According to the account they [Hamas] told us, the meeting was supposed to take place at that location,” said Mahmoud Qomati, vice president of Hezbollah’s political council, in an interview with Lebanese journalist Nada Andraos.
“But before it began, they agreed to leave their phones where they were, with the bodyguards, and go to another room for the meeting without phones,” he added.
“It seems the Israeli method was to target the location where the phones were present,” clarified Mr Qomati.
The attack in Doha was widely condemned. Qatar said it was investigating the circumstances of the air strike. Hamas did not specify if the targeted leaders were injured.
A security source told The National that the office of Hamas leader Khalil Al Hayya was the target. His son Hammam was among those killed in the strike.
“This is how they struck in Lebanon,” said Mr Qomati, in reference to the hundreds of Israeli attacks against Hezbollah members.
He added that a few days ago, a Hezbollah official was attacked. “He threw his phone and fled, so the strike hit the phone’s location, and he survived,” he explained.
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Omar Yabroudi's factfile
Born: October 20, 1989, Sharjah
Education: Bachelor of Science and Football, Liverpool John Moores University
2010: Accrington Stanley FC, internship
2010-2012: Crystal Palace, performance analyst with U-18 academy
2012-2015: Barnet FC, first-team performance analyst/head of recruitment
2015-2017: Nottingham Forest, head of recruitment
2018-present: Crystal Palace, player recruitment manager
Brief scores:
Toss: Northern Warriors, elected to field first
Bengal Tigers 130-1 (10 ov)
Roy 60 not out, Rutherford 47 not out
Northern Warriors 94-7 (10 ov)
Simmons 44; Yamin 4-4
Stage results
1. Julian Alaphilippe (FRA) Deceuninck-QuickStep 4:39:05
2. Michael Matthews (AUS) Team BikeExchange 0:00:08
3. Primoz Roglic (SLV) Jumbo-Visma same time
4. Jack Haig (AUS) Bahrain Victorious s.t
5. Wilco Kelderman (NED) Bora-Hansgrohe s.t
6. Tadej Pogacar (SLV) UAE Team Emirates s.t
7. David Gaudu (FRA) Groupama-FDJ s.t
8. Sergio Higuita Garcia (COL) EF Education-Nippo s.t
9. Bauke Mollema (NED) Trek-Segafredo s.t
10. Geraint Thomas (GBR) Ineos Grenadiers s.t
Company Profile
Company name: Yeepeey
Started: Soft launch in November, 2020
Founders: Sagar Chandiramani, Jatin Sharma and Monish Chandiramani
Based: Dubai
Industry: E-grocery
Initial investment: $150,000
Future plan: Raise $1.5m and enter Saudi Arabia next year
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
