From the Liveblog of
Friday, May 12, 2023
Israel confirms Gaza strike kills head of Islamic Jihad operations
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet security agency confirm carrying out a strike in the Gaza Strip targeting the head of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad’s operations.
According to a joint statement, Iyad al-Hassani, a top official in the group’s military council, in charge of operations, was killed in the strike on a hideout apartment in Gaza City.
The IDF says in recent days he also replaced the head of Islamic Jihad in northern Gaza, Khalil Bahtini, who was killed in an Israeli strike on Tuesday morning.
“He was involved in all the decisions concerning the rocket fire and rocket barrages carried out by the group toward Israel,” the IDF says.
The military publishes footage of the strike.
IDF confirms striking and killing head of Islamic Jihad's operations, Iyad al-Hassani. He is the sixth senior Islamic Jihad member to have been killed by Israel since Tuesday. pic.twitter.com/8qcQb8fbsA
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) May 12, 2023
