The debris after an Israeli strike in the southern Gaza Strip, in Khan Younis, on May 19, 2025. (Credit: Hatem Khaled/Reuters)
Amid heightened Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, a particular operation might have gone unnoticed but quickly became the focus of widespread speculation on May 19, early in the morning. A special forces unit conducted a raid in Khan Younis, prompting questions: Was it an attempt to free hostages, capture a top leader or carry out a targeted assassination? Initial reports suggested the operation aimed to locate captives still held in Gaza. According to sources cited by Al Arabiya, the raid was triggered by intelligence indicating a high-ranking official of Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades had emerged from a tunnel, possibly with hostages. The mission allegedly aimed to "kidnap" the target while freeing captives, an Israeli source told the Saudi media outlet. However, hours after the operation, no official announcement regarding hostages surfaced. A...
Amid heightened Israeli airstrikes on Gaza, a particular operation might have gone unnoticed but quickly became the focus of widespread speculation on May 19, early in the morning. A special forces unit conducted a raid in Khan Younis, prompting questions: Was it an attempt to free hostages, capture a top leader or carry out a targeted assassination? Initial reports suggested the operation aimed to locate captives still held in Gaza. According to sources cited by Al Arabiya, the raid was triggered by intelligence indicating a high-ranking official of Hamas' al-Qassam Brigades had emerged from a tunnel, possibly with hostages. The mission allegedly aimed to "kidnap" the target while freeing captives, an Israeli source told the Saudi media outlet. However, hours after the operation, no official announcement regarding hostages surfaced. A...