In what is one of the most crucial targeted killings of senior Hamas terrorists since the start of war on Oct. 7, an Israeli Air Force fighter jet struck and killed Muhammad A'sar, the head of Hamas' Anti-Tank Missile Unit in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the Israel Defense Forces announced.

"A'sar was responsible for all of Hamas' anti-tank missile units throughout the Gaza Strip, commanded the units in routine and assisted their activity in emergencies," said the IDF. "Under his command, numerous anti-tank missile attacks were carried out against civilians and IDF soldiers."

Defense Minister Yoav Gallant said in a statement on Wednesday: "We are at the height of the war. Intense battles are being waged in built-up areas in Gaza City. IDF soldiers are fighting with courage and determination as they display commitment to their mission."

Gallant said the IDF is making progress towards defeating Hamas. "War has a heavy price," he said, sending condolences to the growing list of Israeli families who have lost soldiers as a result of the fighting.

The IDF has fired more than 10,000 rounds of various ammunition at targets in Gaza City, he said, and thousands of targets have been destroyed, as well as thousands of terrorists killed — from the field level to the highest level. "The war is advancing in line with the objectives," said Gallant.

Meanwhile, the IDF announced that since the Friday ground offensive began, 15 soldiers have been killed in action. It named Sgt. 1st Class (res.) Shalev Zion Sharabi, 22, a combat medic in the 749th Battalion of the Bislamach Brigade from Teneh Omarim, as one of the casualties on Wednesday.

Sharabi was killed by mortar fire near the southern community of Be'eri.

Rocket barrages from Gaza continued to be fired at central and southern Israel.

Meanwhile, the northern arena appeared to escalate to a certain degree throughout the day, as IDF ground forces advanced further into northern Gaza and towards Gaza City.

Following sirens that sounded in Moshav Shtula in northern Israel, numerous mortar launches were identified towards the area on Wednesday evening. The mortar shells fell in open areas and no injuries were reported, said the IDF, adding that the IAF identified and struck the cell that launched the shells.

In addition, terrorist cells that attempted to launch anti-tank missiles from Lebanon towards Israeli territory in the area of Shtula were struck by an IDF tank, the military said.

It reported earlier on Wednesday that "numerous mortar launches were identified a short while ago towards the area of Shomera in northern Israel. No injuries were reported. The IDF is firing toward the origins of the launches."

Republished with permission from Jewish News Syndicate.