Israel intensifies air campaign as it prepares for a ground assault on Gaza City

Israeli forces launched heavy airstrikes on Gaza City late Sunday, killing a senior Hamas figure as officials said they are finalizing plans to seize the enclave’s largest population center and warned militants abroad they are not beyond reach.

Israeli military aircraft and tanks struck neighborhoods across Gaza City on Sunday night, focusing on Sheikh Radwan—an area Israeli authorities say contains some of Hamas’ remaining battalions and command nodes. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) said one of the strikes killed a senior Hamas spokesman identified as Abu Obeida, and Defense Minister Israel Katz posted on X that more senior militants would be targeted as the campaign intensifies.

The strikes marked a significant escalation in the months-long conflict and prepared the battlefield for a planned ground operation to take control of Gaza City, Israeli officials said. The IDF said its aim is to dismantle Hamas’ remaining operational capacity in the city, which it has long described as a central hub for the group’s military infrastructure.

"New York Post image of a Hamas military spokesman."

Military advance and targets

Israeli statements said airstrikes and tank fire targeted positions across Sheikh Radwan and nearby districts that the military assesses are occupied by Hamas fighters. The IDF described Abu Obeida as among the senior figures in the group’s armed wing who were involved in planning operations against Israel in past years. Katz wrote on X that “soon, with the intensification of the campaign in Gaza, many more of his criminal partners — Hamas murderers and rapists — will join him,” and warned that militants abroad “will be reached as well,” language the minister used to suggest operations could extend beyond Gaza.

Israeli sources said the strikes were intended to degrade enemy firepower, neutralize command-and-control nodes and prepare routes for infantry and armored units expected to move into the densely populated urban districts. The IDF has repeatedly said that dismantling Hamas’ military capacity in Gaza City is a prerequisite for reducing the group’s ability to carry out attacks against Israel.

The Israeli military did not immediately provide independent verification of the identity of all individuals killed in the strikes, nor did it release operational details such as the number of sorties flown overnight. Hamas, which has claimed responsibility for the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks that precipitated the broader war, has acknowledged losses during recent strikes but has not provided confirmed casualty lists for senior personnel.

Humanitarian impact and displacement

Humanitarian agencies and local authorities have warned for months about the humanitarian consequences of an expanded ground offensive in Gaza City, where narrow streets, high-rise residential buildings and large concentrations of civilians complicate military operations. Gaza’s health authorities and international aid organizations have repeatedly raised alarms about the capacity of hospitals, the availability of fuel for medical equipment, and access to food, clean water and shelter for internally displaced persons.

The intensification of strikes on Gaza City has driven new displacement as residents sought safer areas within the enclave or attempted to move southward. Aid groups have cautioned that mass movements of civilians in an active combat zone elevate the risk of casualties and complicate delivery of relief. The Israeli government has issued evacuation warnings in the past in specific sectors ahead of operations, but humanitarian groups have said evacuating densely populated urban neighborhoods under fire is often impractical.

"New York Post image of militants in Gaza."

Timeline and broader campaign

The latest strikes continue a campaign that began after the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and subsequent Israeli operations in Gaza. Over the past months, Israel has conducted repeated air and artillery strikes across the enclave and launched ground operations in southern and central Gaza. Israeli authorities have framed a Gaza City offensive as an attempt to remove what they call the remaining command structure of Hamas, while Palestinian officials and aid organizations have focused on the civilian toll and the strain on infrastructure.

International actors have repeatedly called for measures to protect civilians and for greater access by humanitarian agencies. Diplomatic contacts have been ongoing in efforts to manage escalation and facilitate aid deliveries, though an enduring cease-fire or political settlement has not materialized.

Warnings to militants abroad

Beyond the immediate military objectives inside Gaza, Israeli officials have signaled an intent to pursue Hamas operatives beyond the enclave’s borders. Katz’s social media messages underscored that theme, asserting that Israeli operations would reach militants “wherever they are.” The comments reflect a posture by some Israeli leaders that those they hold responsible for the Oct. 7 attacks and subsequent rocket fire cannot find refuge indefinitely, a stance that introduces the prospect of operations or pressure on networks and individuals located outside Gaza.

Hamas leadership often operates through networks with ties across the region, and at times its political and military leaders have been reported to be located in neighboring countries or elsewhere. Israel’s explicit warning that it may pursue those individuals beyond Gaza’s confines could factor into regional diplomatic dynamics and has the potential to raise tensions with states where those figures are believed to be present.

Local responses and broader reaction

In Gaza, the intensified strikes and the expectation of a major ground operation have generated apprehension among residents and local officials. Reports from the enclave indicated sporadic intense fighting, with both air attacks and ground maneuvers reported in areas surrounding Sheikh Radwan.

International reactions in the immediate aftermath of the Sunday strikes were cautious, with several governments and international organizations reiterating calls for civilian protection and for continued humanitarian access. Diplomatic statements typically emphasized the need to prevent further erosion of conditions for civilians while recognizing states’ rights to defend themselves, reflecting a balance many capitals seek to strike in public comments.

"New York Post image related to evacuation notices in Gaza."

Outlook

Israeli officials said they were finalizing operational plans to press into Gaza City after the latest round of air and artillery strikes. The duration and scope of a potential urban operation remain contingent on military assessments, the resilience of Hamas’ forces and the humanitarian and diplomatic pressures likely to follow a widened ground offensive. As forces prepare for what Israeli authorities describe as a decisive phase of the campaign, international humanitarian organizations and foreign governments are expected to monitor developments closely and press for measures to reduce civilian harm.