Israel’s military said it had killed Asem Abu Rakaba, the head of Hamas’ aerial array, in a strike on his hideout in Gaza. Abu Rakaba was in charge of Hamas’ unmanned aerial vehicles, drones, paragliders, and air defense systems. The military said Abu Rakaba was one of the masterminds of the October 7 attack, when hundreds of Hamas gunmen stormed into Israel on paragliders and killed more than 1,400 people. He also led the terrorists who launched drone attacks on Israeli military posts along the border.
The strike on Abu Rakaba was part of Israel’s ongoing offensive against Hamas, which began after the October 7 attack. Israel has intensified its air and ground assaults on Hamas targets in Gaza, aiming to destroy its terror capabilities and bring home the hostages. Israel has defied the UN’s call for a ceasefire and said it would continue to defend itself.