The Israel Defense Forces believe they have killed the Oct. 7 terrorist planner Asem Abu Rakaba, who led Hamas' Aerial Array and orchestrated the paragliders assault on Israel.
"Overnight, IDF fighter jets struck Asem Abu Rakaba, the Head of Hamas' Aerial Array," the IDF wrote in a statement early Saturday morning.
"Abu Rakaba was responsible for Hamas' UAVs, drones, paragliders, aerial detection and defense. He took part in planning the October 7 massacre and commanded the terrorists who infiltrated Israel on paragliders and was responsible for the drone attacks on IDF posts."
While the statement did not confirm the death of the terrorist group leader, reports indicate Asem Abu Rakaba was indeed killed in the strike, including The Wall Street Journal. Newsmax wires did not confirm the death.
Israel is currently telling Gaza residents to evacuate to the south as it engages its ground forces in an incursion to remove the Hamas terrorist groups in the northern part of the strip and in Gaza City.
Rakaba's Aerial Array forces helped knock out Israel's security systems and dropped Hamas terrorists via paragliders into Israel on Oct. 7 to kill and take hostages — many of them women. Among the estimated 200-plus hostages, according to Reuters, are about 30 children.
Israeli forces will continue operations begun overnight in the Gaza Strip, targeting tunnels and other infrastructure of Hamas as well as leaders of the Islamist movement, Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said Saturday.
"We attacked above the ground and under ground, we attacked terror operatives of all ranks, everywhere," he said in a video statement. "The instructions for the forces are clear: the operation will continue until a new order."
Information from Reuters was used in this report.