Israel strikes Hamas Rafah Brigade commander
Shafaq News- Middle East (Updated at 00:08)
Israel said on Tuesday that an airstrike in the southern Gaza Strip killed Nael Abu Obeid, commander of Hamas’ Rafah Brigade.
The Israeli military and Shin Bet later confirmed the killing, saying Abu Obeid headed both the Rafah Brigade and Hamas’ operations division. Israeli authorities said he had taken over the brigade after the killing of its previous commander, Muhammad Shabana, in May 2025.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said the strike followed the killing of the Khan Younis Brigade commander and other senior Hamas figures in recent days.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz:“The IDF has just struck the commander of the Rafah Brigade in the Hamas terrorist organization, following the elimination earlier this week of the commander of the Khan Yunis Brigade and other senior figures in…
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) September 15, 2026
Earlier on Tuesday, the Israeli military said a strike in Khan Younis over the weekend killed Mohsen Farid Saeed Abu Hadaf, whom it identified as “the commander of a PIJ rocket cell” and accused of taking part in the Oct. 7, 2023 attack in the Kissufim area.
🔴ELIMINATED: Mohsen Farid Said Abu Hadaf, a rocket cell commander in the Islamic Jihad who infiltrated the Kissufim area during the October 7 Massacre.Recently, he advanced terror attacks against Israeli civilians & IDF troops in systematic violation of the ceasefire. The…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 15, 2026
The army also reported killing Ahmad al-Batash, whom it identified as commander of Hamas’ Jabaliya Battalion in the North Gaza Brigade. It accused al-Batash of overseeing the brigade’s weapons, facilitating supplies of military equipment, planning attacks against Israeli civilians and troops, and working to rebuild Hamas’ capabilities, which the military said violated the ceasefire.
🔴ELIMINATED: Ahmad Batash, commander of the Jabaliya Battalion in the Northern Gaza Brigade of Hamas’ military wing.As part of his role, the terrorist was responsible for managing & organizing the Northern Gaza Brigade’s weapons and coordinated and facilitated the supply of…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 15, 2026
In separate strikes, the Israeli military said it killed two other Hamas members.
Rafat Abu Zamar, a company commander in Hamas’ operations headquarters, was killed in Khan Younis. The military accused him of training fighters ahead of the Oct. 7 attack and continuing to develop the group’s combat capabilities.
Muhammad Khader Fahmi Aghour, whom Israel identified as a Hamas operative involved in weapons production, was killed in Gaza City.
🔴ELIMINATED: 2 Hamas commanders who posed an immediate threat and advanced terror attacks. - Rafat Abu Zamar, a company commander in the Hamas operations headquarters, who advanced & led training for Hamas terrorists ahead of the October 7 Massacre, and more recently continued…
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) September 15, 2026
