The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) conducted a targeted airstrike on Saturday, aiming at Marwan Issa, deputy to Mohammed Deif and the third-in-command of Hamas. Issa was believed to be hiding in Nusirat, central Gaza, at the time of the strike. The operation’s success remains unconfirmed, with IDF Spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari indicating that the military is still reviewing the attack’s results.
This military action comes amidst a broader strategy articulated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who alluded to the operation in a statement on Monday, hinting at ongoing efforts to target Hamas’s leadership. Netanyahu’s remarks followed the January killing of Saleh Al-Arouri, another key figure in Hamas, conveying a systematic approach to weakening the organization’s command structure.
Further details provided by Rear Admiral Hagari reveal that the airstrike targeted an underground compound used by senior Hamas officials, including Issa and Razi Abu Tamar, a key figure in Hamas’s weapons operations in Gaza. The IDF has emphasized the precision of their intelligence, noting the absence of Israeli hostages in the vicinity of the strike.
Marwan Issa, deputy of Mohammad Deif and one of the planners of the Oct. 7 Massacre, was targeted in a joint operation with the ISA on an underground compound.
We are still assessing the results of the strike and will inform the public of them when we are certain.
We will…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) March 11, 2024
