The Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) issued a statement on the 9th confirming that a 'precision strike' was carried out the same day targeting senior members of Hamas.
The statement said that the targeted members of the Hamas leadership were 'directly responsible' for the large-scale attack launched against Israel in October 2023 and had been continuously planning and directing operations against Israel.
On the 9th, explosions were heard and thick smoke was seen rising in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
Deployment of 15 fighter jets for long-range operations
The operation was codenamed 'Peak of Blaze.' Israel dispatched 15 fighter jets to carry out the mission, firing about 10 precision-guided missiles at a clear target within seconds. Aerial refueling was conducted during the mission, and all participating pilots have safely returned to Israel.
Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, Defense Minister Katz, acting Shin Bet director, and several other senior officials coordinated at the operations center on site.
Netanyahu and Katz issued a joint statement confirming that the two authorized the IDF and Shin Bet on the night of the 8th to carry out the targeted elimination operation against the Hamas leadership. This decision was made after the shooting incident in Jerusalem on the 7th and the deaths of four Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
According to Israeli media reports, the elimination operation had been planned for months. Recently, due to Israel's assessment that Hamas had taken a tough stance in negotiations, it was decided to accelerate combat deployments. The IDF has been holding weekly operational readiness meetings to ensure comprehensive coordination between intelligence agencies and combat units.