Israeli forces struck a Hamas naval police headquarters in southern Gaza on Sunday, killing several terrorists and targeting what the military said was a site used to plan attacks against Israel.
The Israel Defense Forces said the strike took place in the Khan Younis area, and identified one of the slain terrorists as Ismail al-Lahham, a cell commander in Hamas’s military wing.
“The Hamas Naval Police in the Gaza Strip operates alongside and under the authority of the terrorist organization’s military wing. It is involved in planning, directing, and executing terrorist activities against IDF troops and the State of Israel,” the IDF said. “The headquarters that was targeted was being used for Hamas’ efforts to rebuild and reconstitute its capabilities, in violation of the ceasefire agreement, including the restoration of the terrorist organization’s military infrastructure while exploiting facilities presented as civilian in nature.”
The IDF also said it had struck and dismantled three weapons storage facilities in southern Gaza over the past week that were intended for use against Israeli troops operating in the area.
Before those strikes, the military said it issued advance warnings to civilians and later identified Hamas terrorists attempting to remove weapons from the sites using vehicles. Israeli forces then targeted both the terrorists and the weapons, with secondary explosions observed, indicating the presence of munitions, according to the IDF.
The military said it took steps to reduce civilian harm, including issuing warnings, using precision-guided munitions and conducting aerial surveillance.
