Hamas military chief, Mohammed Deif, mastermind behind Oct 7 attacks, killed in July airstrikes: Israel

Just a day after terror group, Hamas' chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Tehran, Israel has announced that the group's miliitary chief. Mohammed Deif, was killed in an in Israeli strike in July in Gaza. 

"The IDF (Israel Defence Forces) announces that on July 13th, 2024, IDF fighter jets struck in the area of Khan Yunis, and following an intelligence assessment, it can be confirmed that Mohammed Deif was eliminated in the strike," the military said.

When asked about the Israeli statement, which came as large crowds gathered in Teheran for the funeral procession of Hamas leader Isamil Haniyeh, Hamas did not immediately reply.

Deif is said to have been one of the masterminds of the Oct. 7 raid by Hamas on southern Israel, which started the 300-day Gaza war.

Over a 30-year period, Deif, one of Hamas' most prominent individuals, advanced through the organisation's ranks, expanding both its tunnel network and its proficiency in creating bombs.

He was on the top of the Israel's most wanted list for decades and was held responsible for the killing several Israelis in suicide bombings.

Meanwhile, the Hamas chief on Tuesday attended the inauguration ceremony of Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. He also met Iran's Supreme Leader Seyyed Ali Khamenei. Khamenei shared the pictures of his meeting with Haniyeh on X. 

In a reply to this post, the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said that Khamenei met the leaders of Hamas and Islamic Jihad who have been attempting to kill Israelis.

The IDF said: "Did someone ask for a photo-op of Iran and the leaders of their proxies? Iran's Khamenei met with Hamas' Ismail Haniyeh and the Islamic Jihad's Ziyad-al-Nakhalah -- two of the terrorist organisations who have been attempting to kill Israelis using weapons made and funded by Iran. We can only assume the topics of conversation included how to spend more Iranian money to kill Israelis while wishing Hezbollah's Nasrallah could join them."

(With inputs from agencies)