Israel announces it has killed more than 900 terrorists since the start of the Rafah raid and claims responsibility for the attack that killed a Hezbollah commander

Israel Defense Forces Chief Herzi Halevi visited the Kerem Shalom area on the Gaza border Tuesday, where he met with Israeli commanders and soldiers. He informed them that the army killed "more than 900 terrorists" in Rafah, a Hamas stronghold in Gaza, including "at least one battalion commander."

Halevi added that the goal is to destroy "the [terrorist] infrastructures both above and below ground, which takes time, and that is why this campaign is long, because we do not want to leave Rafah with its infrastructures intact."

The military officer further stressed that Israel troops are making a "continuous effort" of the Israeli troops so that the terrorists "feel exhausted while we will feel more energetic and determined." He added, "With determination, perseverance and patience we will defeat the other side and accomplish our missions."

Halevi called on the troops to have "a lot of will, a lot of patience and a lot of perseverance, and the results will be seen in the future."

IDF killed a senior Hezbollah commander in Lebanon

The Israeli Army claimed responsibility for the attack that killed a senior Hezbollah commander in the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.

The serviceman, who was killed along with another Hezbollah member in a Jewish State Air Force offensive, was Mohammad Naameh Nasser, head of the Shiite terror group's Aziz Unit, a post he had held since 2016.

Nasser led a large number of attacks with anti-tank missiles and rockets from southwestern Lebanon against Israel. In addition, the commander was in charge of leading terrorist activities against the Jewish state during and before the armed conflict that erupted after the October 7 massacre.

According to two Israeli Defense sources who spoke to Reuters, Nasser was responsible for one of the sectors in southern Lebanon and the position he held was similar to that of Sami Abdallah, also known as Abu Taleb, a Hezbollah commander killed by Israel last month, who is considered the terrorist group's highest ranking officer killed in the conflict.

The loss of both terrorists is a major blow to Hezbollah, as these two figures were key to the terrorist group. They both had direct links to Iran.

Israel denies pushing for a ceasefire with Hamas

According to the New York Times, the Israeli military denied a report that claimed that IDF leadership was pushing to reach a ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza, even if the terrorist organization remained in power.

"The IDF is determined to continue fighting to achieve the goals of the war," the IDF said in a statement. "So far, significant achievements have been made. The IDF will fight Hamas everywhere in Gaza, while advancing military readiness in the north and defensive efforts on all borders," it added.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office also issued a statement, vowing not to "succumb to defeatist spirits, neither at The New York Times nor anywhere else." He added: "I’m here to make it unequivocally clear: It won’t happen. We will end the war only after we have achieved all of its goals, including the elimination of Hamas and the release of all our hostages."