IDF and Shin Bet report destruction of Hamas weapon sites in Gaza

Israel's Defense Forces and the internal security service Shin Bet said a joint operation on Monday targeted five Hamas weapons storage sites and a launch point across the Gaza Strip. The facilities, which the military described as holding rockets, grenades, ammunition and other equipment, were reportedly situated inside mosques and adjacent to humanitarian infrastructure.

The IDF stated that it gave advance warnings to residents before the strikes and used precision munitions and aerial surveillance to limit civilian harm. It added that forces from its Southern Command remain deployed in the area under the cease-fire framework established on Oct. 10, 2025, to neutralize immediate threats.

"This is another example of Hamas’s systematic exploitation of the civilian population and infrastructure, including mosques and humanitarian infrastructure, in violation of international law," the military said.

Israeli Ambassador to the United States Yechiel Leiter posted on X that Hamas had not disarmed and referenced the discovery of Kalashnikov rifles hidden in mosques. He warned that Hamas continues to plan attacks against Israeli targets.

Earlier on Monday, the IDF reported dismantling two additional weapons caches in mosques that contained rifles, magazines and other gear, calling the practice a breach of international law. The same day, forces engaged two Hamas militants linked to the Oct. 7 attack, killing one identified as Mohammad Abu Asaad in the Deir al-Balah area.