Israel Kills Three Hamas Leaders in Latest Gaza Airstrikes

Officials Brag of 'Psychological' Impact of Killings

One of several overnight Israeli airstrikes actually managed to kill its intended targets, three members of Hamas’s Qassam Brigades military council, who were killed in a house in Rafah.

The three were identified as Mohammed Shamal, Raed Attar, and Mohammed Barhoum. They are the only identified victims of 30 killed by Israeli attacks on Thursday, though several have been confirmed as civilians, killed in an attack on a cemetery, and some reported an unnamed Islamic Jihad official slain.

Hamas vowed revenge for the killings, while Israeli officials bragged about the “psychological” impact the attacks would have on Hamas leadership going forward, knowing that they are primary targets.

Former Israeli military intelligence chief Amos Yadlin downplayed the importance of such attacks, saying that targeted assassinations were not the “silver bullet” current officials are making them out to be.

Author: Jason Ditz

Jason Ditz is Senior Editor for Antiwar.com. He has 20 years of experience in foreign policy research and his work has appeared in The American Conservative, Responsible Statecraft, Forbes, Toronto Star, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, Providence Journal, Washington Times, and the Detroit Free Press.