Israeli Airstrike Targets Hamas Leader in Gaza

The Israeli airstrike that targeted Hamas’s military leader, Muhammad Deif, in southern Gaza on Saturday was the result of weeks of surveillance on a compound used by one of his key lieutenants, Rafa Salameh, according to three senior Israeli defense officials.

The Israeli military and the Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, confirmed that the strike killed lieutenant Rafa Salameh, but the fate of Mr. Deif remains uncertain. Hamas has denied reports of their deaths in the attack, which resulted in over 90 casualties, according to Gazan officials. The strike took place in an area designated by Israel as a humanitarian zone.

The decision to authorize the strike came after extensive monitoring of one of Mr. Salameh’s secret command posts situated west of Khan Younis, a city in southern Gaza, as revealed by the Israeli officials.

The villa, surrounded by palm trees near the Mediterranean Sea, belonged to Mr. Salameh’s family, indicating his recent shift to spending more time there following Israeli forces’ takeover of many of his other strongholds in Khan Younis. Mr. Salameh, who often resided in Hamas’s underground tunnel network, would also stay at the villa with his family and fellow militants to avoid the harsh conditions in the tunnels.

Operatives from an Israeli unit responsible for identifying high-value targets, comprising personnel from military intelligence and the Shin Bet, detected Mr. Salameh’s presence several weeks prior. The decision to delay the strike was made in anticipation of a potential meeting between Mr. Salameh and the primary target, Mr. Deif.