The Israeli defense establishment assesses that the leader of Hamas's military wing in Gaza, Izz al-Din al-Haddad, has been eliminated in a targeted airstrike. The operation was carried out by three fighter jets that dropped 13 munitions on a safehouse where he was staying in the Gaza Strip, after its location was compromised through intelligence sources. A senior security official stated that there are initial indications pointing to the success of the targeted assassination.
Al-Haddad, considered one of the architects of the October 7 massacre, assumed leadership of the organization in Gaza following the elimination of Yahya Sinwar. In recent weeks, he had been working to rebuild the terror group's chain of command, commanding remaining forces on the ground, and directing combat against IDF forces. Security officials noted that al-Haddad managed the hostages and deliberately surrounded himself with captives, including female lookouts (spotters) abducted from Nahal Oz, to shield himself from Israeli strikes. Hostages held in his vicinity, under his direct command were abused, starved and murdered,








