WARLORD KILLED
Hamas paraglider force commander Asem Abu Rakaba who took part in October 7 massacre blown up in Israeli airstrike
HAMAS' paraglider commander who helped plan the October 7 attack has been struck and killed by the Israel Defence Forces.
Asem Abu Rakaba played a crucial role in commanding "the terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders and was responsible for the drone attacks on IDF posts", says the IDF.
7
7
7
The IDF said on Saturday morning: "Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck Asem Abu Rakaba, the Head of Hamas' Aerial Array.
"Abu Rakaba was responsible for Hamas' UAVs, drones, paragliders, aerial detection and defense.
"He took part in planning the October 7 massacre and commanded the terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders and was responsible for the drone attacks on IDF posts."
It comes as the IDF revealed Hamas' naval forces commander Rateb Abu Sahiban - who led a failed infiltration attempt by sea on October 24 - was also killed in an overnight airstrike, according to local media.
More on Israel-Hamas
Other top Hamas commanders Abed Alrahman, Khalil Muhajez, and Khalil Tatri were wiped out in an airstrike on Tuesday, the IDF claimed.
Israeli tanks and troops stormed into Gaza on Friday night to battle Hamas in a "rolling start" to a full-scale invasion.
The terrorist group was bombarded from land, air, and sea as Israeli fighter planes, warships, and artillery pounded the Gaza Strip for hours in what was the third and largest armed raid this week.
It comes as
Most read in The Sun
- Israel "expanded" their ground operations with a fresh bombardment and large raid into Gaza
- It followed smaller overnight tank assaults on Wednesday and Thursday
- Forces are also massing on Israel's northern border with Lebanon to face down terror group Hezbollah
- Israel revealed Hamas' alleged 'Terror HQ' hidden beneath a hospital in northern Gaza
- Fears are growing an invasion of Gaza could be the "bloodiest war for more than 100 years"
- And there could be just six steps between the Gaza crisis and all-out war in the Middle East
- SAS forces are on standby in Cyprus to rescue Brits stranded in Gaza
- Vladimir Putin is feared to try and cash in on the war with a new "Axis of Terror"
- US forces continue to mass in the Middle East - striking Iran-backed militia groups with airstrikes
Some 300,000 troops have been massed by the IDF since the massacre and columns of armoured vehicles are encircling Gaza.
The north of the tiny Palestinian enclave was relentlessly blitzed by airstrikes and artillery under the cover of darkness, as power and communications were cut off for millions.
Israel is seeking to destroy the Gaza-based terrorist group Hamas after they slaughtered 1,400 men, women, and children on October 7.
They have destroyed some 150 underground bases as of Saturday morning, according to Israeli forces.
Footage released by the IDF showed the intense attack with "hundreds" of bombs.
Orange flames lit up the night sky as guns boomed - with the fighting visible across the border from Israel.
Hamas' armed wing said late on Friday its fighters were confronting Israeli troops in Gaza's northeastern town of Beit Hanoun and east Bureij.
7
7
7
7
Topics