Netanyahu confirms January assassination of Hamas' 'No 4' in Lebanon

JERUSALEM -- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirmed on Monday the Israeli army was responsible for the killing of Saleh al-Arouri, deputy chairman of the political bureau of Hamas, in a controversial cross-border airstrike in Lebanon in January.

Arouri's death prompted wide criticism from Lebanon and regional countries but Israel has never officially acknowledged the assassination.

"We have killed number four in Hamas," the Israeli prime minister said in a video statement on Monday, apparently referring to Arouri.

"Three, two, and one are on the way (to be killed). They are all dead men, we will reach them all," Netanyahu said.

He also reiterated his stance that Israel will continue the attacks in Gaza until "a total victory" over Hamas.

Earlier on Monday, Israel's state-owned Kan TV news reported that Israel was checking to see if Marwan Issa, Hamas' deputy military commander in the Gaza Strip and "No 3" in the hierarchy of Hamas, died in an airstrike overnight in the refugee camp of Al-Nusseirat in the central Gaza Strip.

According to Kan, five militants were killed in the attack, and ten others were injured.