The Israeli Armed Forces (IDF) announced that they had killed four senior Hamas officials in airstrikes in the Gaza Strip on Thursday. Among them is Sadi Baroud, deputy head of Hamas’ Intelligence Directorate and one of the alleged masterminds of the October 7 attack by the Palestinian Islamist group.

According to a statement issued by the IDF, Barud was killed in the drone strike. “He was involved in the planning of the October 7 massacre and numerous other deadly attacks against Israelis,” it said.

It was also announced that an Israeli warplane raid in the Gaza Strip killed three Hamas commanders: Rifat Abbas, Ibrahim Jadba and Tarek Maarouf.

The announcement emphasizes that the attacks will continue to eliminate “Hamas leaders and officials who are responsible for the barbaric attacks” on Israeli soil.