Oct. 27 (UPI) — Israeli forces carried out air raids and a second consecutive overnight ground incursion into Gaza striking dozens of targets and killing Hamas’ deputy chief of intelligence.
Shadi Barud, who Israel says planned Hamas’ Oct. 7 massacre of 1,400 of its citizens, was killed along with three other members of Hamas’ military leadership in intelligence-led targeted strikes by Israel Defences Forces fighter jets, the IDF and Israel Security Authority said Thursday.
The IDF and ISA said the three, named as Rifaat Abbas, Ibrahim Jadba, and Tarek Maarouf — the three most senior commanders of Hamas’ key Daraj Tuffah Battalion — had been targeted for their “significant roles” in the Oct. 7 assault and because they had taken part in previous attacks against Israel.
The infantry raid on central Gaza, supported by IDF fighter jets and UAVs, “identified and struck numerous terror targets, including anti-tank missile launch sites and military command and control centers” while aircraft and artillery hit Hamas assets in Shuja’iyya district in the north and throughout the strip, IDF said early Friday in another post.
“The troops exited the area at the end of the activity. No IDF injuries were reported.”
The IDF attacks come on the heels of Israeli forces launching a ground incursion into the Palestinian territory overnight Wednesday in which it conducted a “limited” operation under cover of darkness using tanks and infantry to strike “numerous terrorist cells,” infrastructure and anti-tank missile launch sites.
IDF said afterward that the incursion was aimed at softening enemy resistance and preparing the battlefield ahead of the main ground invasion. No troops or military personnel were hurt in the operation.
