Israel Says It Killed Hamas Khan Younis Brigade Commander

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Friday that it killed Muhammad Yazouri, the commander of Hamas' Khan Younis Brigade, in an airstrike the previous night. The strike, which occurred on Thursday evening in the Khan Younis area of the southern Gaza Strip, also killed two other Hamas members, according to the military. The IDF identified the other casualties as Hudheifa Muammar, a company commander, and Muhammad Bahjat Rashi, another member of the brigade. The military stated that Yazouri had directed attacks against Israeli civilians and troops and worked to rebuild the brigade's capabilities after it suffered heavy losses during the war. Hamas confirmed Yazouri's death in a statement released Friday, describing the operation as a cowardly Israeli assassination. The group identified him as a senior commander of its Qassam Brigades. According to the IDF, Yazouri held several senior positions within the Khan Younis Brigade before taking overall command, including deputy commander, commander of the Combat Support Battalion, and head of the brigade's intelligence department.