IDF Destroys Hamas Battalion Command Center

Latest Developments

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) destroyed the command and control center of Hamas’s Shujaiya Battalion, the IDF announced on December 15. Israeli forces eliminated terrorists and uncovered a tunnel shaft during the operations. Israel also released footage of several strikes. Shujaiya is one of three areas, along with Jabaliya and Khan Younis, where the IDF has been engaged in close-quarter combat with terrorists in the last week. Ten IDF soldiers, including a battalion commander, were killed in Shujaiya on December 13.

Expert Analysis

“Defeating Hamas in northern Gaza is one step in eliminating the threat the terrorist group poses in Gaza. Hamas battalions in northern Gaza are some of the largest units the group possesses. The difficult battles to defeat them illustrate the huge investment Hamas made in embedding terrorist infrastructure in densely populated urban areas.” — Seth J. Frantzman, FDD Adjunct Fellow

“The Israeli military is faced with a significant challenge as it seeks to eliminate the major hubs of terrorist infrastructure throughout the Gaza Strip. Shujaiya, among others, stands out as one of the centers of gravity for Palestinian terrorist organizations.” — Joe Truzman, Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

New IDF Drone Used in Gaza

The IDF said that one of its units fighting in Shujaiya used a new type of drone the IDF has begun providing to troops this year. “IDF troops from the 414 Battalion used the ‘Maoz’ drone for the first time, using it to locate and strike terrorist cells in the area,” the IDF noted. The Maoz is a loitering munition that flies into a target and destroys itself on impact. The drone was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and is also known as the Firefly.

Battles Continue in Khan Younis

The IDF continued to operate in Khan Younis in southern Gaza on Thursday and Friday. On December 15, the IDF said that “troops conducted a targeted raid on terror infrastructure sites in the city of Khan Younis. The troops killed numerous terrorists and located Hamas tunnel shafts.” A weapons storage facility was struck using precision-guided mortars. The IDF also revealed that it located motorbikes used by Hamas during the October 7 attack on Israel.

Related Analysis

“116 Rockets Fired at Israel From Humanitarian Zone in Gaza,” FDD Flash Brief

“Seawater Flooding of Hamas Terror Tunnels Begun by IDF, U.S. Officials Say,” FDD Flash Brief

“Ten Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza Fighting,” FDD Flash Brief