Hamas commander killed in Gaza airstrike, 36 held in West Bank raids: IDF

The commander of Hamas' Western Khan Yunis Battalion, Madhath Mubshar, was killed by an Israel defence forces in an aerial strike on Thursday night.

For the second consecutive night, Israeli troops carried out targeted strikes inside Gaza, as confirmed by the IDF, bracing them for their preparations for the next phase in the conflict against Hamas.

Additionally, the IDF also hit over 250 Hamas targets in the Gaza Strip in the past day.

"Madhath Mubashar -- commander of Hamas' Western Khan Yunis Battalion -- was eliminated by an IDF aerial strike. Furthermore, the IDF struck 250+ Hamas targets, including a terrorist tunnel network in Gaza that detonated the secondary explosions," posted the IDF on X.

Military spokesperson, Rear Adm Daniel Hagari said, "Midhat took part in sniping attacks and large explosives against IDF forces and Israeli settlements."

The targets included Hamas tunnels, command centres, rocket launch positions, and dozens of operatives, the IDF said, adding that a Skylark 3 drone crashed in the Gaza Strip earlier on Friday "as a result of a technical error."

Hagari also said that there is no fear of sensitive information leaking from the device.

The IDF has also confirmed the killing of Ayser Mohammad Al-Amer, a field commander in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad's Jenin wing, during clashes in the Jenin refugee camp overnight.

The army also confirmed clashes with Palestinian gunmen in the Jenin refugee camp and the city of Qalqilya, with earlier reports of four casualties, including Al-Amer, in these two locations, as reported by The Times of Israel.

The IDF said it returned fire at Palestinians who were shooting at their forces and dealing with rioters hurling explosive devices.

There were no reported injuries on the Israeli side.

In overnight arrest raids across the West Bank, IDF troops detained 17 members of the Hamas terror group and 19 other wanted Palestinians, according to the IDF.

Since the war in the Gaza Strip began on October 7, the IDF has arrested around 1,030 wanted Palestinians in the West Bank, including approximately 670 individuals affiliated with Hamas.

The IDF has faced several clashes with Palestinians in the West Bank over the past two weeks, as well as thwarted attempted terror attacks, it said.

According to the Palestinian Authority health ministry, Israeli forces and, in some cases, settlers, have been responsible for the deaths of 110 West Bank Palestinians since October 7.

Separately, the IDF said that the head of the Central Command, Maj Gen Yehuda Fox, has approved a demolition order for a home owned by Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri, located in the town of 'Arura, near Ramallah.

Arouri is believed to reside in Turkey, The Times of Israel reported.

At least 7,028 Palestinians have been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7 and more than 1,400 people were killed in the Hamas attack on Israel.