Israel used guided missiles fired by warplane in Saleh al-Arouri killing: Report

Israel used guided missiles fired from a warplane to kill senior Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut on Tuesday,  a Lebanese security official told the AFP.

Arouri was killed by a suspected Israeli strike on a residential home in southern Beirut along with 6 other Hamas members.

"Arouri was killed in strikes using guided missiles which were launched by an Israeli warplane," the official said, requesting anonymity because of security concerns. 

"A drone could not have carried out such a precise strike," said the official with knowledge of the official Lebanese investigation into Arouri's killing.

According to the official, the guided missiles used in the attack weigh around 100 kilos (220 pounds), making them too heavy to have been fired by a drone.

Six missiles were used in Tuesday's attack, four of which exploded, the official said.

Two of the missiles that detonated pierced through two floors and exploded in a room where Arouri was holding a meeting with other Hamas officials, the source added.