Israeli Forces Eliminate 6 Top Hamas Commanders As War Enters Next Phase

Israeli fighter jets have been targeting the Hamas operation centres, further disrupting the group's activities in Gaza.

Tel Aviv: In a major blow to Hamas, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) claimed to have successfully eliminated at least six prominent commanders of the Palestinian militant organization amid an escalation of war which entered its tenth day on Monday. The action follows a violent assault by Hamas on Israeli border regions, resulting in the loss of numerous innocent lives and the abduction of several individuals. The IDF has been actively conducting "localized" aerial operations in Gaza over the past 24 hours, aiming to eliminate Hamas terrorists and remove weaponry while searching for missing persons, as declared by the IDF. In their statement, the Israeli military highlighted their efforts to cleanse Gaza of terrorists and their weaponry through targeted raids.

The IDF said that based on precise ISA and intelligence, Muetaz Eid – the Commander of the Hamas Southern District of National Security - was killed in the latest air strikes.

Throughout the day, the IAF struck approximately 250 military targets - mostly in the northern Gaza Strip.

Based on precise ISA and IDF intelligence, Muetaz Eid– the Commander of the Hamas Southern District of National Security was killed. — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 15, 2023

During these operations, the IDF executed an airstrike that resulted in the death of a senior Hamas commander responsible for overseeing the group's aerial activities in Gaza City—Murad Abu Murad, a key figure within Hamas. 

Billal Al Kedra, a top Hamas commander, responsible for the Kibbutz Nirim massacre in Israel, was also killed in an Israeli airstrike, the Israel Air Force (IAF) said in a statement earlier.  
Israeli intelligence pinned Billal Al Kedra's location in Khan Yunis, a city in the south of the Gaza Strip. Al Kedra was a commander of the Nukhba force, a naval commando unit under Hamas' special forces unit of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades.

Additionally, Israeli fighter jets targeted a Hamas operation centre, further disrupting the group's activities. In a retaliatory response to a recent attack from Lebanon, Israeli forces also struck Hezbollah's "military infrastructure" in Lebanon. 

As part of the extensive IDF strikes of senior operatives and terror infrastructure in the Gaza Strip, the IDF and ISA killed the Nukhba commander of the forces in southern Khan Yunis, who was responsible for the Kibbutz Nirim massacre pic.twitter.com/7QJE1LWQXf — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 15, 2023

This retaliatory measure was a response to an incident where anti-tank-guided missiles were fired towards an Israeli town and military posts near the Lebanon border, resulting in the loss of civilian life.

חיל-האוויר תקף תשתיות צבאיות של ארגון הטרור חיזבאללה בלבנון לפני זמן קצר, זאת בתגובה לירי שבוצע אתמול (א׳) לעבר שטח ישראל. pic.twitter.com/Qe1dYx2LFb — Israeli Air Force (@IAFsite) October 15, 2023

Warning To Hezbollah Amid Escalating Tensions

The United States and its allies have issued warnings to Hezbollah, a Lebanese militant organization, advising them against escalating the conflict in Israel. The US has taken strategic steps, including the deployment of military assets, to prevent the potential widening of the war. There have been coordinated efforts to communicate the message to Hezbollah through various channels, emphasizing the necessity for them to refrain from engaging in the ongoing conflict.

France, at Israel's request, has also communicated to Hezbollah that any further escalation would provoke a significant response from Israel. Hezbollah's involvement in the conflict would represent a significant escalation due to its well-trained, well-armed, and sophisticated military capabilities, supported by Iran.

Barrage Of Rockets Targets Central & Southern Israel

A relentless barrage of rockets was launched from the Gaza Strip towards central and southern Israel late on a recent Sunday night, as reported by The Times of Israel. The alarms sounded in several neighbourhoods along the Gaza border, as well as in Ashkelon, Ashdod, Rehovot, and Ramle. The Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted a considerable number of incoming rockets, generating loud explosions, though immediate reports do not indicate direct hits or casualties.

The Iron Dome system, a crucial tool in Israel's defence arsenal, plays a significant role in intercepting incoming projectiles. It rapidly assesses potential threats and launches missiles to destroy rockets posing danger, effectively minimizing the impact of the attacks.

International Involvement To Prevent Full-Scale War

US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin has ordered the deployment of a carrier strike group to the eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent message to Hezbollah and its supporters in Iran. The intention is to discourage these entities from entering the ongoing conflict. The movement of the carrier signifies a clear message of deterrence to any state or non-state actors considering widening the war beyond its current boundaries.

Hamas Holding 199 Hostages In Gaza: Israel

The hostages were seized on Saturday 7 October when Hamas fighters broke through the Israeli border fence in southern Israel, and attacked a music festival and multiple settlements killing more than 1,300 Israelis. The army said that at least 291 Israeli soldiers have been killed so far in the conflict, and reiterated the statement from the prime minister’s office that there is no temporary ceasefire in place in southern Gaza.

Israel has strongly responded to the terror group's attack and has bombarded Gaza with airstrikes, and it is anticipated that it will soon begin a land offensive there. Israeli Defence Minister Gallant said that the estimated 150-200 hostages are being held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip, adding, "We are making every effort to locate them even in this great complexity.''

At least 2,750 Palestinians have been killed and 9,700 wounded in Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip since 7 October, Reuters reports that the Gaza health ministry said on Monday.