The IDF said it carried out a strike this week in the Khan Younis area targeting the main headquarters of Hamas' naval police, which the military said was being used to plan and execute terrorist operations against IDF forces and the State of Israel.
According to the IDF, several militants operating at the site were killed in the strike, including Ismail al-Lahham, a cell commander in Hamas' military wing.
The military said Hamas' naval police in Gaza operates under the organization's military wing and is involved in directing, coordinating and carrying out terrorist activities.
The IDF added that the headquarters in Khan Younis had been used in efforts to rebuild and strengthen Hamas' capabilities while exploiting infrastructure presented as civilian in nature.
In a separate announcement, the IDF said it struck and destroyed three Hamas weapons depots in southern Gaza during the past week. According to the military, the facilities were intended to be used in attacks against Israeli forces.
The IDF said that before the strike, and after advance warnings had been issued to the local population, militants from Hamas' military wing were identified attempting to remove weapons from the depots using vehicles. The militants were subsequently targeted along with the weapons they had loaded.
The military added that secondary explosions were observed following the strikes, which it said indicated the presence of weapons stored at the sites.
“IDF forces under Southern Command remain deployed in the area in accordance with the agreement and will continue operating to eliminate any immediate threat," the military said.