Israeli forces announced Friday they conducted a targeted strike against the leader of Hamas’ military operations in Gaza, calling him a key architect behind the October 7, 2023 attacks that sparked Israel’s ongoing two-year military campaign in the Palestinian territory.
The militant organization has not yet provided any statement regarding the status of Izz al-Din al-Haddad, who assumed leadership of Hamas’ military operations in Gaza following Israel’s elimination of commander Mohammad Sinwar in May 2025.
This marks the highest-ranking Hamas figure Israel has attempted to eliminate since a U.S.-supported agreement in October aimed at ending hostilities in Gaza. The operation occurs while Hamas continues to strengthen its control over a narrow coastal area of Gaza that remains under its authority.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a joint declaration stating that Haddad “was responsible for the murder, abduction, and harm inflicted on thousands of Israeli civilians (and) soldiers.”
The officials stopped short of confirming whether they believe Haddad was successfully eliminated in the operation.
Medical personnel and local witnesses in Gaza reported that an aerial assault struck a residential building in Gaza City’s Rimal neighborhood, resulting in at least one fatality and multiple injuries. The identity of the deceased individual remains unconfirmed at this time.
According to the same sources, Israeli forces conducted a follow-up strike targeting a vehicle on a neighboring street shortly afterward. No immediate casualty reports emerged from this second attack.
