The Israeli military announced on Thursday that it had killed a high-ranking official of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) terrorist organization in a targeted airstrike on the central West Bank. Mohammad Abdullah, who was believed to have orchestrated numerous terrorist attacks in the region, was killed in the operation, according to the Times of Israel.
Abdullah had taken over as head of the PIJ’s Tulkarm branch following the death of his predecessor, Muhhamad Jaber, in August. The IDF stated that Abdullah was responsible for planning and coordinating many of the organization’s activities, including deploying bombs and explosives against Israeli troops.
The airstrike, which was carried out in collaboration with the Shin Bet security agency, resulted in the death of Abdullah and another unidentified person. The IDF also seized various weapons and flak jackets from the scene of the operation.
The PIJ, which is closely aligned with Hamas, has been involved in the ongoing military conflict against Israeli forces since the Hamas-led attacks on October 7. The Israeli military has been taking steps to counter the PIJ’s activities, with multiple incidents of drones and rocket attacks reported throughout the country on Friday morning.
In one incident, the IDF successfully shot down a drone that had crossed into Israel near the city of Ashkelon, with no injuries or damage reported. Another drone, launched from Iraq by an Iran-backed militia, was also intercepted by Israeli forces near the city of Eilat, with the IDF stating that the threat was neutralized before it could cause any harm.
