Hamas military leader Mohammed Deif in airstrike, Israel confirms

New Delhi: Israeli military confirmed on Thursday that Mohammed Deif, the head of Hamas' military wing, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in Gaza last month. This announcement follows the assassination of Hamas' political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran just a day prior.

What happened on July 13?

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) reported that Deif was neutralized during an attack on Khan Yunis on July 13. Initially, Hamas had denied Deif’s death, claiming that 100 others perished in the assault.

"The IDF announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike," the military statement read.

We can now confirm: Mohammed Deif was eliminated.

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) August 1, 2024

If you are wondering where Mohammed Deif is and what he is doing now, you will find the answer here. pic.twitter.com/osW3JyQOk8

— WhiteHouse (@WhiteHouseIce) August 1, 2024

What was Al Aqsa Flood led by Deif? 

Deif, regarded as the mastermind behind the deadly October 7 terror attack on Israeli soil last year, was Israel's most wanted man. The operation, named "Al Aqsa Flood," led to numerous civilian casualties and kidnappings. Yehya Sinwar, the Hamas leader in Gaza, co-planned the attack, which followed an Israeli raid on the Al Aqsa mosque in May 2021.

Throughout his 30-year career with Hamas, Deif had survived nearly seven assassination attempts, the latest in 2021. He was instrumental in developing Hamas' tunnel networks and bomb-making capabilities.

Haniyeh's assassination

The confirmation of Deif’s death came just a day after Ismail Haniyeh, Hamas' political leader, was killed in Tehran. Hamas claimed that Haniyeh died in "a treacherous Zionist raid on his residence in Tehran."

"Brother, leader, mujahid Ismail Haniyeh, the head of the movement, died in a Zionist strike on his headquarters in Tehran after he participated in the inauguration of the new (Iranian) president," stated Hamas.

Israel has neither confirmed nor denied involvement in Haniyeh's assassination. Details of the attack remain unclear, though Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) confirmed that one of Haniyeh's bodyguards was also killed.

Haniyeh had led Hamas since 2017, frequently moving between Turkey and Doha to avoid travel restrictions from the blockaded Gaza Strip.