Hamas Rocket Chief Killed in Gaza Strike

Latest Developments

Israeli forces killed a senior Hamas rocket commander in the central Gaza Strip on March 6, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet said in a joint statement. According to the statement, Amar Atiya Darwish Aladini had worked his way up the Palestinian terrorist group’s ranks for decades, with responsibilities that included the pre-deployment of rockets throughout the Gaza Strip and orchestrating their launches.

Aladini played a key role in Hamas rocket attacks during the 2008-9 Operation Cast Lead and every subsequent round of Gaza-Israel fighting. In the current war, Aladini directed rocket launches against Israeli civilian targets as far away as Tel Aviv and at IDF troops in Gaza.

Almost five months into the war, cross-border rocket salvos have tapered off as Hamas depletes its arsenal and advancing Israeli forces destroy or seize munitions on the ground.

Expert Analysis

“While the degradation of Hamas’s military capabilities through the elimination of its hardware is important, no less so is the elimination of the know-how. Aladini would have represented vast reserves of expertise in turning Gaza’s civilian infrastructure into a massive rocket launchpad. He would have understood the extent to which Hamas’s arsenal could make up for shortfalls in imported rockets with homemade rockets and the fine-tuning required to make the latter as destructive as possible. He may also have been a key link in the chain of Hamas-Iranian coordination and will no doubt have devoted much of his energy to devising ways of penetrating Israel’s air defense systems. His loss is a significant setback for Hamas and a gain for Israel.” — Mark Dubowitz, FDD CEO.

“The significant reduction in rocket attacks from Hamas and its allies in Gaza can be attributed to the proactive efforts of the IDF in targeting both weapons storage areas and the commanders orchestrating these attacks. Moreover, the loss of experienced commanders like Aladini poses a challenge for Hamas, as their resources and capabilities are diminishing amid ongoing conflict.”— Joe Truzman, Senior Research Analyst at FDD’s Long War Journal

“Israel Vows to Eliminate Hamas Terror Leader Yahya Sinwar,” FDD Flash Brief

“10 Things to Know about Hamas,” FDD Insight

“Israeli Forces Raid Residences of Hamas Commanders, Capture Terrorists,” FDD Flash Brief

“Israel eliminates Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander,” by Seth J. Frantzman