Sources in Gaza confirmed Tuesday evening that the commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade, Nael Abu Ubaid, has been eliminated. The confirmation follows the IDF strike targeting Abu Ubaid, which Prime Minister Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz confirmed earlier tonight.
Gaza-based sources confirmed Tuesday evening that Nael Abu Ubaid, the commander of Hamas's Rafah Brigade, was eliminated in an IDF strike. The confirmation came at 22:49 Jerusalem, roughly 41 minutes after Israeli officials first announced the strike.
At 22:08 Jerusalem, the IDF and Shin Bet announced they had struck a senior Hamas operative in southern Gaza, with Israeli media and security analysts identifying the target as the Rafah Brigade commander. The Southern Command fire center was praised for precision in the operation. Shortly thereafter, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed the strike on Abu Ubaid, stating that "no terrorist is immune, and Hamas will not be in Gaza." The strike took place four days after the elimination of the Khan Younis Brigade commander, as The Zioneer reported earlier this week.
Abu Ubaid was one of the most senior Hamas commanders in southern Gaza. His elimination is the latest in a series of targeted operations against Hamas's brigade-level leadership, which have included the elimination of the Khan Younis Brigade commander and other senior figures earlier this week. The Zioneer has reported extensively on these operations, including the precision strike that killed Hamas's Deir al-Balah administrative head Kamal Abu Mu'iliq and a Nukhba cell commander involved in the October 7 attacks.
The confirmation from Gaza sources provides clarity on the outcome of the strike, which was initially reported without confirmation of the target's death.
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