Israel air, ground and naval forces struck Hamas sites in central Gaza on Wednesday night, the Israel Defense Forces said on Thursday. Before the entrance of troops to the area, aircraft struck Hamas infrastructure above and below ground.
An armed terrorist was spotted exiting a tunnel shaft and entering a military structure adjacent to Israeli soldiers. A fighter jet struck the terrorist as he approached the troops. Several rocket launchers were located in the area.
The Israeli Navy conducted targeted strikes along the coastline in central Gaza to support ground forces. Israel also confirmed killing three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an airstrike on Wednesday.
According to the IDF and Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), Amir Haniyeh was a Hamas squad commander. Hazem and Mohammad Haniyeh were described as “military operatives.”
The Shin Bet said the three were “en route to carry out terror activity in the area of central Gaza” when their vehicle was hit in the Shati refugee camp in Gaza City. Four of Ismail Haniyeh’s grandchildren were also in the vehicle.
Haniyeh, who is based in Qatar, is worth an estimated USD 4 billion, and his family owns dozens of real estate properties in Gaza. Israeli authorities recently arrested Haniyeh’s sister, Zebah Abdel Salem Haniyeh, who is an Israeli national, on terror charges.
At least 1,200 people were killed and 240 Israelis and foreigners were taken hostage in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border on October 7. Of the remaining 134 hostages, Israel recently declared 31 of them dead.