Israel on Friday released ground footage from the military operation that led to the killing of Hamas chief Yahya Sinwar, one of the biggest developments in the Gaza war that can change the entire face of the Middle-East conflict.
The Israel Defense Forces yesterday confirmed the death of top Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a military operation in Northern Gaza. The military operation eliminated two other Hamas terrorists as part of the operation.
The footage and images released today show Israeli troops conducting intelligence-based targeted raids, encountering terrorists, and eliminating dozens of them in close-quarters combat and by directing IAF aircraft.
The video also shows the exact moment Israeli troops fired from the tank at the building where Yahya Sinwar was hiding. HT cannot independently verify this video.
IDF operation that killed Yahya Sinwar
According to an IDF statement, troops from the 828th Brigade operating in the Tel al-Sultan area of Rafah, this week, identified several suspects, in the area.
The troops then closely monitored the region, during which they encountered terrorists who fired at them and threw grenades. The soldiers returned fire, hitting the terrorists, who had begun attempts to flee and had split into two adjacent buildings in the area.
During scans conducted by the troops the following morning, the body of Hamas leader, Yahya Sinwar, was identified.
Operation was in play for several months
As per Israel, the operation that killed Yahya Sinwar followed several months of intel and groundwork in which the IDF in cooperation with the ISA and led by the 162nd Division, operated against Hamas’ Rafah Brigade and the Tel al-Sultan Battalion, eliminating hundreds of terrorists.
These operations closed in on Sinwar, preventing his escape and preparing the ground for his elimination.
Hamas confirms Yahya Sinwar’s killing
Later today, Hamas confirmed that its leader, Yahya Sinwar, was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza and reiterated its stance that Israeli hostages, who were abducted a year ago will not be released until there is a cease-fire in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli troops.
Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar’s Qatar-based deputy and represented Hamas during several rounds of cease-fire negotiations, said the former Hamas leader died “confronting the occupation army until the last moment of his life.” Hamas will not return any of the hostages, he said, “before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza.”
