Israel Defence Forces have confirmed the elimination of Muhammad Odeh in Gaza, describing him as the new leader of Hamas’s military wing and one of the architects of the October 7 massacre.

The operation was carried out under the direct instructions of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz, with the Prime Minister’s Office issuing a statement on X to announce the strike.

Odeh had served as the head of Hamas’s intelligence staff during the October 7 attacks and was appointed only a week ago to replace Ezzedine al-Haddad, who himself was killed in an Israeli strike in Gaza two weeks earlier. His role extended beyond planning, as he was directly responsible for the murder, abduction, and wounding of numerous Israeli citizens and soldiers.

Netanyahu personally confirmed the elimination in a video statement, vowing that Israel would continue to pursue all those involved in the October 7 massacre. “We have now struck Muhammad Odeh – the leader of Hamas’s military wing and one of the architects of the October 7 massacre.

We will get to all of them,” he declared, reinforcing Israel’s commitment to dismantling Hamas’s leadership structure. The killing of Odeh marks another significant blow to Hamas’s command hierarchy, which has faced successive losses in recent weeks.

Meanwhile, Israel has intensified its military operations in southern Lebanon. According to Al Jazeera, multiple air strikes were carried out across the Tyre and Marjayoun districts. Two strikes hit Burj Rahal, while another powerful strike was reported in Kawthariyat al-Ruz.

Additional raids targeted the town of Srifa, with three strikes reported in as-Sawana and one in Qabrikha. These operations have resulted in heavy casualties, with Al Jazeera Arabic reporting that 31 people were killed and 40 others injured on Tuesday alone. The escalation underscores Israel’s widening campaign against Hezbollah, which has been mounting drone attacks across northern Israel.

The strikes follow Netanyahu’s directive on Sunday to “press the pedal even harder” against Hezbollah, after a US official signalled Washington’s approval for a larger Israeli operation against the Iran-backed group.

In his statement, Netanyahu emphasised that Israel is at war with Hezbollah, noting that in recent weeks Israeli forces had eliminated more than 600 of its fighters. He added that the military would not ease its pressure, but instead intensify operations further. This rhetoric reflects Israel’s determination to confront both Hamas and Hezbollah simultaneously, amid growing regional instability and fears of a broader conflict.

The elimination of Muhammad Odeh, coupled with the expanded strikes in Lebanon, highlights Israel’s dual-front strategy aimed at weakening both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. These developments are likely to further inflame tensions across the region, with the potential for escalation drawing in wider international involvement.

ANI