IDF Eliminated Hamas's Rafah Brigade Commander After Prolonged Surveillance

The Israeli military eliminated Na'el Abu Aid, the commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade and head of the organization's operations division, in an airstrike in southern Gaza. The Southern Command had been tracking Abu Aid for an extended period, attempting to assassinate him on several occasions. The IDF stated that intelligence efforts finally located him when he was not in the vicinity of civilians, prompting the decision to carry out the strike.

According to the IDF, Abu Aid was responsible for restoring the military readiness of the Rafah Brigade and was involved in advancing terror plots. "We were close to eliminating him several times already, but the attempts ultimately did not succeed," an IDF source said. "This time, the conditions aligned, the intelligence managed to pinpoint him, and the forces understood they had the opportunity."

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu commented on the assassination, stating, "No terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza." Defense Minister Yoav Gallant affirmed the strike, noting that the commander "advanced terror plots against our forces." He reiterated the policy of "eliminating terrorists and removing threats without attacking civilians."

Reports from Gaza indicate that the strike in the Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis resulted in two deaths and 14 injuries, with two adjacent tents reportedly targeted first by a drone and then by missiles. This assassination follows a series of targeted killings of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad figures in recent days, including the commander of the Khan Younis Brigade and a Hamas battalion commander in Jabalia.