On Friday, Israel released ground footage from the military operation that resulted in the death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, a significant event in the ongoing Gaza conflict that could alter the dynamics of the Middle East situation.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Sinwar’s death in a military operation in Rafah, which also resulted in the elimination of two additional Hamas militants. The footage showcases Israeli troops conducting intelligence-driven targeted raids, engaging in close-quarters combat, and calling in strikes from the Israel Air Force (IAF) against numerous terrorists.
The video captures the precise moment Israeli forces fired from a tank at the structure where Sinwar was hiding, although this footage has not been independently verified by TDG.
Footage showing the moment that a Pair of Israeli Merkava IV Main Battle Tanks fired Shells into a Building on Wednesday, which resulted in the Elimination of Yahya Sinwar, the Leader of Hamas. pic.twitter.com/xShsyQTLA4
— OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) October 18, 2024
According to an IDF announcement, troops from the 828th Brigade were operating in the Tel al-Sultan region of Rafah this week when they identified several suspects. They closely monitored the area, where they faced gunfire and grenades from terrorists. The soldiers returned fire, hitting the militants, who attempted to escape into two nearby buildings.
The following morning, during a search operation, Sinwar’s body was located.
The operation that led to Sinwar’s killing was months in the making, involving intelligence and groundwork by the IDF in coordination with the ISA, targeting Hamas’s Rafah Brigade and the Tel al-Sultan Battalion, resulting in the deaths of hundreds of militants. These efforts focused on closing in on Sinwar to prevent his escape and set the stage for his elimination.
Hamas confirmed Sinwar‘s death later on the same day, asserting that Israeli hostages taken a year prior would not be released until there is a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli troops from Gaza. Khalil al-Hayya, Sinwar’s deputy based in Qatar and a representative during ceasefire talks, stated that Sinwar died “confronting the occupation army until the last moment of his life.” He further emphasized that Hamas would not release any hostages “before the end of the aggression on Gaza and the withdrawal from Gaza.”
