IDF Kills Hamas Oct 7 Operatives, Strikes Hezbollah Targets in Lebanon

IDF says Hamas "operatives" linked to Oct 7 "attacks" killed; strikes Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon

Tel Aviv, May 17

In a statement issued through its official Telegram channel on Saturday, the IDF said that over the past two weeks, it carried out two separate strikes in the northern Gaza Strip targeting Hamas operatives identified as "Hamer Iyad Muhammad Almatouk" and "Khaled Muhammad Salem Joudeh".

According to the military, the two men had "infiltrated Israeli territory during the brutal October 7th massacre" and had recently attempted to carry out attacks against Israeli troops operating in the area.

"The terrorists posed an immediate threat to the troops and were eliminated in precise strikes," the IDF said.

The military also stated that earlier this week, it killed "Abd al-Rahman Mahmoud Jumaa Shaafi", described as a Hamas operative from the Bureij Battalion who had allegedly been involved in planning attacks against Israeli forces in central Gaza.

The IDF said, "Steps were taken to mitigate the risk of harm to civilians, including the use of precise munitions and aerial surveillance."

It added that troops under the Southern Command "remain deployed in accordance with the ceasefire agreement and will continue to operate to remove any immediate threat".

In a separate statement, the Israeli military accused Hezbollah of launching "hostile aircraft, mortar shells, and explosive drones" over the past 24 hours near areas where Israeli troops are operating in southern Lebanon.

The IDF said no sirens were activated "in accordance with protocol".

According to the military, Israeli forces struck "approximately 100 Hezbollah targets in several areas in southern Lebanon" over the weekend.

The IDF further stated that on Saturday, it targeted "observation posts, terror infrastructure, and a weapons storage facility belonging to Hezbollah", alleging that the sites had been used to advance attacks against Israeli soldiers and Israel.

It also said that additional Hezbollah infrastructure sites near Tyre in southern Lebanon were struck on Friday.

Meanwhile, on Friday (local time), the US State Department informed that Israel and Lebanon have agreed to extend their ceasefire for the next 45 days amidst the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, as per Al Jazeera.

US State Department spokesperson Tommy Pigott described the peace talks, which concluded in Washington on Friday, as "highly productive" and stressed that the political negotiations would continue on June 2 and 3. Meanwhile, a "security track" will begin at the Pentagon on May 29, which will involve the presence of both officials from Israel and Lebanon.

"We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other's sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border," Pigott said, as per Al Jazeera.

— ANI