Shafaq News / Israeli forces carried out extensive airstrikes targeting Hamas' elite unit's operational headquarters in Gaza. An official statement from the Israeli military spokesperson confirmed, "Israeli fighter jets launched a wave of wide-scale airstrikes to target Hamas' elite forces, resulting in the death of a senior official in Rafah Brigade, affiliated with the naval movement. This action was taken in response to infiltrators who crossed into communities near Gaza last Saturday."

According to the statement, the Israeli strikes led to the killing of one of the top members of Hamas' Rafah Brigade, Mohammed Abu Shamaleh. The statement highlighted that "Hamas' elite forces are selected and trained by Hamas leadership to carry out ambushes, infiltrations, sabotage operations, anti-tank missile launches, sniping, and tunnel infiltrations."

It emphasized that the elite forces were the first to infiltrate Israeli territory during the "Tawafan Al-Aqsa."

Meanwhile, the Israeli military announced on Thursday that no decision had been made yet regarding any ground assault in Gaza. However, a spokesperson confirmed that the Israeli military "is prepared for the possibility."

The spokesperson stated, "We are securing the Gaza fence, and anyone approaching it will be fired upon." The overnight strikes in Gaza primarily targeted the "elite forces" affiliated with Hamas. The spokesperson stated, "The elite forces were the ones leading the infiltration on Saturday, and every member of these forces will be targeted."

Additionally, the Israeli military refused to disclose the number of rockets fired from Gaza and intercepted, asserting, "We will not provide the enemy with this information." The Israeli military also revealed that Palestinian militants are still attempting to infiltrate Israel via the sea.