Overnight, the IDF and Shin Bet confirmed the successful elimination of the Hamas Rafah Brigade commander, who also served as head of operations for the terror group's military wing, according to The Zioneer. This is the second Rafah Brigade commander eliminated in the war; his predecessor, Muhammad Shabana, was killed approximately 18 months ago.
Overnight, the IDF and Shin Bet officially confirmed the successful elimination of the Rafah Brigade commander, who also served as head of operations for Hamas's military wing. The confirmation came hours after the initial strike was reported Tuesday evening, marking the final official acknowledgment of an operation that had been assessed as successful by multiple sources.
As The Zioneer reported at 22:08 Tuesday, the IDF and Shin Bet first announced a strike targeting a senior Hamas operative in southern Gaza. Within the same hour, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the strike had targeted and killed the Rafah Brigade commander, identified as Nael Abu Ubaid. Gaza-based sources confirmed his death, and a senior security official stated that the elimination "appears to have succeeded." This development followed the elimination of the Khan Younis Brigade commander earlier this week, as part of Israel's ongoing campaign against Hamas's regional command structure.
The Rafah Brigade has been a key target in Israel's campaign to dismantle Hamas's command in southern Gaza. As The Zioneer reported last week, the IDF and Shin Bet eliminated the brigade's military security chief, Ismail Masri. Wednesday morning, new video footage documenting the strike was published by security analyst Yair Goldblatt, further corroborating the operation's precision. This is the second Rafah Brigade commander eliminated in the war; his predecessor, Muhammad Shabana, was killed approximately 18 months ago.
Additional details about the exact timing and location of the operation have not been disclosed by military officials. The full extent of the commander's role as head of operations for the military wing and the impact on Hamas's command capabilities remain under assessment.
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