An Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member on Friday the sixth since the latest round of hostilities began earlier
Tel Aviv [Israel], May 12 (ANI): An Israeli airstrike in the Gaza Strip killed a senior Palestinian Islamic Jihad member on Friday, the sixth since the latest round of hostilities began earlier this week, Times of Israel reported.
The strike near Gaza City that killed Iyad al-Hassani, along with another man the military said was his assistant, dealt yet another blow to the terror group and further dampened hopes for a ceasefire.
In a joint statement, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency said al-Hassani was a top official in the group’s military council, in charge of its operations department. In recent days, he had also replaced the head of Islamic Jihad in northern Gaza, Khalil Bahtini, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday morning, Times of Israel reported.
According to the Hamas-run health ministry, another five people were wounded in the airstrike targeting the top floor of an apartment building.
“He was involved in all the decisions concerning the rocket fire and rocket barrages carried out by the group toward Israel,” the IDF said.
Speaking to reporters after the strike, IDF spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the military had identified al-Hassani travelling in several vehicles over the past day, Times of Israel reported.
“Our ability to track using aircraft has improved in the operation, giving us the ability to track [commanders] between apartments,” he said.
“What is important is that he received an appointment two days ago to replace Bahtini, after two days he is no longer with us, the most senior PIJ figure today in the Gaza Strip, managing combat, in contact with overseas [officials],” Hagari said.
“We are continuing as hard as we can in attacking those who planning to launch rockets at us, while also keeping a strong defence,” he added.
Hagari said there would likely be more long-range rocket fire after the assassination. “As has been the case in recent days, including today when two rockets flew toward Jerusalem and were intercepted, we could be met by such fire even in the coming hours,” he said.
