Issam Abu Rukbeh, the commander of the Hamas air force, was killed in the shelling of the Gaza Strip carried out on the night from Friday to Saturday, the Israeli army and the Shin Bet counterintelligence service announced on Saturday morning in a joint statement.
Abu Rukbeh was responsible for issues related to, among others: with Hamas air defense systems, drone attacks, and combat operations using paragliders. He played an important role in planning and carrying out the terrorist attack on Israelwhich took place on October 7, reported the Israeli armed forces.
Clashes in the Gaza Strip
As reported by the Times of Israel, during the night ground operation of Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, a number of clashes took place between soldiers and Hamas terrorists. There are no reports of losses among Israeli soldiers.
According to the Israeli army, the air force struck about 150 underground facilities belonging to Hamas. “Many terrorists” of the Palestinian organization were said to have died in the attacks.
Reporter of “Fakty” TVN: powerful explosions were heard near the border with the Gaza Strip
Terrorist attack
The Hamas strike on October 7 from the Gaza Strip resulted in the highest number of Israeli deaths since 1973, when the Jewish state went to war with the Syrian-Egyptian coalition.
About 1,400 people have died during the 21-day conflict. Israeli citizens and over 7.3 thousand inhabitants of the Gaza Strip.
Hamas attack on Israel PAP/Reuters – Maciej Zieliński
Main photo source: Reuters