IDF Eliminates Two Senior Hamas Nukhba Commanders in Northern Gaza Airstrike

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Tuesday the targeted killing of two senior commanders from Hamas's elite Nukhba unit in northern Gaza. Ali Simlekh, deputy commander of a Nukhba platoon, and Nasser Luh, head of a Nukhba squad in the Tzabra battalion, were both eliminated in a precise aerial strike. These militants were identified as immediate threats to Israeli forces operating in the area and were actively involved in developing terror attack plans and training new operatives to carry out assaults against Israeli civilians and soldiers.

The Nukhba unit played a central role in the deadly attacks on October 7, and these recent killings are part of Hamas's ongoing efforts to rebuild its operational capabilities by preparing a new generation of militants. Ali Simlekh was specifically responsible for advanced training programs aimed at executing terror attacks, while Nasser Luh worked to advance operational terror plans within Gaza. Their elimination follows a series of recent IDF operations targeting senior terror figures, including last week's killing of Fadi Da'mash, a commander responsible for training within Hamas's military wing, and the deaths of Muhammad Nagib Ashour and Tamer Said Abu Nahl, both involved in terror planning.

The IDF emphasized that these strikes were conducted after confirming the militants posed an immediate danger to Israeli forces. The Southern Command remains deployed in the area under existing agreements and is committed to neutralizing threats to Israeli soldiers and civilians. These military actions continue alongside diplomatic efforts aimed at securing the release of hostages and achieving long-term regional stability.