Israel has confirmed the killing of Hamas’ top military commander, Izz ad-Din al-Haddad, in a targeted strike in the Gaza Strip, marking what senior Israeli officials are describing as a major operational breakthrough in the ongoing war.
According to the IDF, al-Haddad — regarded as the highest-ranking remaining military figure in Hamas and a key architect of the October 7 attacks — was eliminated in an airstrike carried out on Friday after prolonged intelligence tracking.
The operation was approved at senior political levels about ten days prior, following what Israeli media described as years of intelligence gathering on his movements and network.
IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir called the killing a “significant operational achievement,” stating that al-Haddad’s name repeatedly came up in testimonies from released hostages as one of the central figures responsible for the October 7 massacre.
He added that Israel would continue its campaign against Hamas leadership, “until we reach them all,” framing the strike as part of a broader effort to dismantle the group’s remaining military command structure.