Hamas Khan Younis Brigade Commander Killed in Israeli Airstrike

Sources within Hamas have revealed details surrounding the identification of a slain commander following a targeted Israeli airstrike in the Hamad neighborhood of Gaza's Khan Younis area. The strike, which occurred overnight between Thursday and Friday, is believed to have killed the commander of Hamas's Khan Younis brigade, identified as Yazouri.

According to reports from Hamas sources speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Yazouri's body was severely dismembered in the strike, delaying his immediate identification. The sudden loss of contact with him prompted some associates to inquire if he was the target of the attack. It was later confirmed that Yazouri was among the casualties.

Arab media reports indicate that seven additional militants were killed in the same strike. Yazouri had reportedly assumed command of the Khan Younis brigade only recently, following the elimination of two senior figures in Hamas's military wing, Ezzedine Al-Haddad and Mohammed Awda.

Prior to his appointment as brigade commander, Yazouri had previously led central and western sectors in the Khan Younis region. If his death is officially confirmed, it represents a significant blow to Hamas's command structure in southern Gaza, particularly in Khan Younis, a key operational hub for the terrorist organization.