Precision Hits: The Names and Roles of the Senior Terrorists Just Removed from the Battlefield

The security situation in the Gaza Strip has intensified following a series of precision strikes conducted by the Israel Defense Forces and the Shin Bet security agency. These targeted operations were launched in direct response to a severe violation of the standing ceasefire agreement earlier this week in western Rafah, where terrorists opened fire on an armored Israeli military vehicle. To maintain the integrity of the security arrangements and protect troops stationed in the region, Israel has taken aggressive steps to remove the individuals responsible for planning and executing these attacks. The elimination of these senior figures represents a significant blow to the operational and tactical capabilities of both Hamas and the Palestinian Islamic Jihad, particularly within the central camps of the Gaza Strip.

High Ranking Targets and a Closing Circle of Justice

Among those neutralized in the recent strikes was Muhammad Hamad Muhammad Houli, the commander of the operations department for the central camps of the Hamas terror organization. Houli was a veteran figure within the central camps brigade for decades and played a primary role in the brigade’s preparations for the murderous October 7 massacre. His history of terror dates back over thirty years, he was the mastermind who directed the terrorists responsible for the attack at the Nahal Oz checkpoint on February 6, 1995, which resulted in the murder of Yevgeny Gromov. His death marks a profound closing of a circle for Israeli security services who have tracked his activities for a generation.

In addition to the Hamas operations chief, the military successfully targeted Ashraf Adnan Muhammad Khatib, the commander of the rocket and missile array for the Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the central camps area. His removal severely hinders the group’s ability to coordinate long range fire against Israeli population centers. In the same wave of strikes, the IDF eliminated Said Khalid Ali Abd al-Rahman, the head of sniping operations for the Deir al-Balah battalion. Abd al-Rahman was considered a focal point of professional knowledge for Hamas snipers, training others to target soldiers and civilians from long distances.

The operations continued as the IDF identified and killed two more Hamas terrorists who were caught attempting to rehabilitate the organization's damaged infrastructure in the area. These individuals were working to rebuild the capabilities that were dismantled during previous phases of the war, a move that Israel has made clear will not be tolerated under the current agreements. Israeli officials emphasized that these strikes are essential to thwarting the ongoing efforts of terrorist organizations to plan and execute new plots against IDF forces and Israeli citizens. The military and the Shin Bet have pledged to continue acting with great force against any attempts by Gaza based terror groups to violate the ceasefire or endanger the lives of the people of Israel.