ISTANBUL 

The Lebanese group Hezbollah condemned the assassination of Hamas deputy chief Salah Arouri and his comrades in Beirut on Tuesday in a rapidly unfolding and deeply concerning series of events. 

The assassination is a ''serious attack on Lebanon, its people, security, sovereignty and resistance,'' the group said in a statement.

Arouri's assassination ''contains highly symbolic political and security messages and entails a dangerous development in the course of the war between the enemy (Israel) and the axis of resistance,'' it said.

"Our resistance is steadfast and loyal to its principles that it has undertaken. The fighters are in the highest state of readiness," said the statement, emphasizing ''the assassination crime of Arouri and his comrades will never go unpunished.''

The Palestinian resistance group Hamas confirmed the assassination in the Lebanese capital Beirut.

Hamas said two commanders of its armed wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, were also killed.

Lebanon’s official National News Agency reported earlier that Arouri was killed in an Israeli drone strike on a Hamas office in Mecherfeh in southern Beirut. At least six people were killed in the attack.

*Writing by Mohmmad Sio