Israel kills three top islamic Jihad commanders, braces for Gaza’s response
Israel launched surprise air strikes on Palestinian Islamic Jihad targets, including killing three of the terror group’s senior figures on early Tuesday morning.
A Gaza building after an Israeli air strike on terror groups in the Strip on May 9, 2023. Photo by Majdi Fathi/TPS
A spokesperson for the Israeli Defense Forces said it killed Jihad Ghannam, Tareq Izzeldeen and Khalil Al-Bahtini.
The IDF said Bahtini was Islamic Jihad’s senior operational commander responsible for approving and carrying out all terrorist activities from northern Gaza. Ghannam was responsible for the coordination and transfer of money and weapons between the Islamic Jihad and Hamas. Izzeldeen managed the organisation’s terror activities in both Gaza and Judea and Samaria and helped transfer funds between operatives in both areas.
Military positions belonging to Islamic Jihad were struck, including a rocket factory and a facility that produced concrete components for terror tunnels, the IDF said.
Bracing for rocket fire, Israeli authorities instructed residents living within 40 km (25 miles) of Gaza to remain near shelters. Residents were also ordered not to hold outdoor gatherings, overshadowing the festive Lag B’Omer holiday.
Amid concerns of sniper and anti-tank fire from Gaza, the military closed access to roads in the immediate vicinity of the Strip. The Erez and Kerem Shalom border crossings between Israel and Gaza are closed and train service between Ashkelon and Netivot was suspended.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was due to hold a situational assessment at 10:30 AM, and Defence Minister Yoav Gallant gave his approval to the IDF calling up reservists as needed, suggesting that “Operation Shield and Arrow” will last several days.
The strikes on the Islamic Jihad leaders come against the backdrop of a rocket barrage fired by the terror group following the death of Khader Adnan on May 2. The imprisoned Adnan, a senior Islamic Jihad figure, died after an 86-day hunger strike. The terror group had threatened throughout Adnan’s hunger strike that it would hold Israel responsible for its member’s death.
Israel launched retaliatory strikes, but National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir threatened to boycott Knesset votes over what he said was the government’s “weak response.” Cabinet members from his Otzma Yehudit party boycotted Sunday’s weekly Cabinet meeting.
Coalition tensions escalated on Monday as Knesset committees chaired by lawmakers from the Otzma Yehudit party cancelled meetings.
Ben-Gvir praised the strike on the Islamic Jihad leaders, saying he congratulated Netanyahu “on the proactive activity in Gaza.”
“This is a good start. The time has come to change the policy in Gaza,” Ben-Gvir said.
I agree whole heartedly with Israel. You know and I know the terrorist will never stop attacking Israel.
They will soon be replaced by others like in any military organisation. Killing your enemy is like mowing the grass as the grass grows back quickly