Israeli Commandos Kill Hamas Tunnel Chief in Gaza
Nur Barake, a deputy commander of an elite unit of Iz al-Din al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas, along with several other senior terrorists. UPDATE: Israeli Officer killed in firefight.
This is breaking news, and will be updated as more becomes known.
Israeli commandos apparently infiltrated the Gaza strip and assassinated Nur Barakah, a Hamas al-Qassam brigade senior commander in charge of attack tunnels.
The attack was confirmed by al-Qassam in a tweet:
This is likely to lead to increased fighting. We will keep updating.
UPDATES:
The IDF has issued an update that an Israeli Officer was killed:
During IDF special forces’ operational activity in #Gaza, an exchange of fire broke out, during which an IDF officer was killed and an additional IDF officer was moderately injured.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 11, 2018
The IDF denies that any Israeli soldiers were captured.
Contrary to reports, none of our soldiers were abducted during the operational activity that took place in #Gaza.
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) November 11, 2018
Quick recap so far: IDF operated in the Gaza Strip, exchange of gunfire ensued. All IDF soldiers back in Israel. Several alarms have sounded in Southern Israel. More to follow.
— Jonathan Conricus (@LTCJonathan) November 11, 2018
Haaretz reports;
Palestinian sources told Haaretz that one of the casualties is Nur Barake, a deputy commander of an elite unit of Iz al-Din al-Qassam, the military wing of Hamas. Barake and an additional commander were said to be killed in Khan Younes.
Palestinian officials said the group of Hamas men were fired at from a passing car.
According to reports from Gaza, an elite Israeli force entered the city of Khan Younes and killed the Hamas militants. The reports said that the force was then exposed. The two sides then began exchanging fire, and Israeli aircraft accompanied the ground forces….
The Israeli military confirmed that no soldiers were taken hostage during the incident.
The Times of Israel reports:
Baraka was reportedly closely involved in Hamas’s tunnel program and also served as the commander of a Khan Younis regional battalion.
This reportedly is a poster released by Hamas after the incident:
Be cautious about videos posted as to authenticity. Two reliable Twitter accounts are Joe Truzman and his Ground Brief newsletter account:
Video obtained by @GroundBrief let's us listen in on #Qassam Brigades activists announcing the deaths of #Qassam members by #IDF special forces via two-way radio this evening in #Gaza. #Israel pic.twitter.com/EB3wk6KfTb
— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 11, 2018
#Breaking #Gaza #Israel
Bombing of Khan Younis after #IDF assissinated senior #Qassam commander. pic.twitter.com/Hpc63FfOEm— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 11, 2018
#Qassam militant Khaled Mohammed Qweider killed tonight in #IDF operation. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/NEcMm0e0p0
— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 11, 2018
#Qassam member Mohammed al-Qara who was assassinated by the #IDF special forces in Khan Younis this evening. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/8ZYflcESOg
— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 11, 2018
The Times of Israel is reporting that this appears to have been an intelligence gathering mission gone wrong, rather than a targeted hit:
Maj. Gen. (res.) Tal Russo, a former commander of the IDF Southern Command, indicated that the operation was likely an intelligence-gathering mission gone wrong, rather than an assassination attempt on Baraka, as Hamas initially claimed.
“Activities that most civilians aren’t aware of happen all the time, every night and in every region. This action — an operation that was apparently exposed — wasn’t an assassination attempt. We have other ways of assassinating people and we know how to do it much more elegantly,” Russo told Channel 10 news.
The retired general, who until recently was responsible for the IDF’s missions abroad, also told Army Radio that Baraka was likely killed in exchanges of fire amid an Israeli rescue effort to extract the special forces soldiers.
UPDATES 11-12-2018
It’s becoming clear that this was not a targeted assassination, but an intelligence gathering mission that ended in a firefight.
The Times of Israel reports:
IDF Spokesperson Ronen Manelis said Monday that the overnight mission in Gaza was intended as an intelligence-gathering mission by IDF special forces operating deep inside Gaza, not an assassination or kidnapping attempt.
The NY Times reports:
According to a statement from Hamas, Israeli special forces in a civilian car drove about two miles inside the Gaza Strip, east of Khan Younis, where they killed Noor Baraka, 37, a local battalion commander of al-Qassam Brigades, the Hamas military wing. Mr. Baraka’s responsibilities included digging attack tunnels and firing rockets into Israel.
According to a local journalist, Muthana al-Najjar, the Israelis, dressed as civilians — including some in women’s clothing — were in a civilian vehicle that stopped outside Mr. Baraka’s home, where it drew suspicion. A gunfight ensued, and the fleeing Israelis called in airstrikes to cover their retreat to Israeli territory.
#Qassam Brigades publishes what’s left of the communications equipment which was on the back of a truck used by #IDF special forces to conduct the operation. It was intentionally destroyed by #IDF airstrikes. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/dkmCQHSKEo
— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 12, 2018
Palestinians publish the vehicle used by special forces in Sunday night’s operation. It was destroyed during heavy #IDF airstrikes. #Gaza #Israel pic.twitter.com/IUinxPNH4H
— GroundBrief (@GroundBrief) November 12, 2018
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Comments
More work related accidents.
Killing leaders is most certainly reasonable, but it is not enough. Israel needs to be killing at least hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in order to convince them thst they must stop.
Another one for the good guys
Hmmm, I kind of question the wisdom of this.
Not because it’s bad to kill scumbag terrorists.
But because this guy seemed to be really good at spending a lot of time and money building tunnels that got destroyed relatively easily.
If he’s gone maybe they’ll get somebody actually competent in charge.
Good. I hope it hurt.
This is what winning looks like.
It’s an interesting allegory for who the democrats must feel in stealing elections with impunity.
the use of the term “assassinate” or “assassinated” is both wrong and inaccurate.
these were enemy military personnel, killed in combat.
to describe it any other way is to give aid and comfort to the terrorists.
Keep up the great work folks!
Maybe you can show the US how to infiltrate into Mexico and assassinate subhuman cockroach drug cartel bosses. God knows it’s a target rich environment.
Happy Veterans Day, dirtbag. May the Lord have mercy on your miserable soul.
What a great way to start the week!
All muslims mourn.
So, 15 million from Qatar through Israel to Hamas and instead of less violence there is more?
Prayer’s out for the Israeli officer and his family. Prayers also for the injured Israeli.
“Smoke em if ya got em”
God Bless and Protect Israel!
Got you, you bastard.
If it wasn’t a targeted assassination, it should have been. The IDF should have a section that does nothing but hunt these people down and kill them — and not only the leaders. It should be a dangerous proposition to be in any way associated with any of the terrorist groups.
The problem with assassinations is you are taking out a known quantity to be replaced by an unknown quantity. That and you burn valuable assets in return. If the IDF were allowed to take of the kitt gloves and fight to win how better to start than to know where all the comanders are and who?
Speaking of which, BBC is doing a mediocre production of Little Drummer Girl at the moment. Not as bad as the movie adaptation of Sum of All Fears (nothing will EVER be that bad), but it is sad to see political correctness injected into the spy world. We only need one type of prejudice there: extreme.
FYI
“Gloves Off:” The IDF Blows Up the Al-Aqsa (Hamas TV) Studios in Gaza
—Ace of Spades
The IDF warned Hamas that if Hamas began shooting rockets beyond the normal 40km range they usually shoot them at, the gloves would come off.
http://ace.mu.nu/archives/378084.php#378084
“Kill” is such a harsh word, can’t we just say ‘forwarded to his virgins’?