Battle of Khan Yunis (2025) | |||||||
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Part of Operation Gideon's Chariots (until 4 August 2025), the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip during the Gaza war, and the Hamas–Popular Forces conflict | |||||||
Gaza Strip under Hamas control Gaza Strip under Israeli control Furthest Israeli advance in the Gaza Strip | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
![]() ![]() ![]() Yasser Abu Shabab ![]() | ![]() ![]() | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
The Battle of Khan Yunis is a major military engagement that began on 26 May 2025 as part of the broader Israeli offensive in the Gaza Strip launched in May 2025, known as Operation Gideon's Chariots, during the ongoing Gaza war. It marks the fourth time Israel has invaded Khan Yunis since the beginning of the war.
Following weeks of operations in Rafah, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a renewed incursion into Khan Yunis. [1] [6] The operation is targeting remaining Hamas fighters, positions, infrastructure, and tunnel networks in the city. [7]
The IDF previously invaded Khan Yunis in December 2023, with the resulting battle and siege lasting until April 2024. Two later Israeli incursions into the city took place in July and in August 2024.
In May 2025, Israel launched Operation Gideon's Chariots, a renewed campaign focused on eliminating remaining Hamas forces in Gaza.
On 26 May 2025, the IDF initiated a renewed ground offensive into Khan Yunis as part of Operation Gideon's Chariots, following intense airstrikes across Southern Gaza. [1]
On 29 May, Israeli combat engineers completed a major operation to neutralize a Hamas tunnel network on the outskirts of Khan Yunis. According to an official IDF report, troops located and dismantled a lengthy "offensive" underground terror tunnel stretching several hundred meters. [8]
On 30 May, the IDF announced that the Kfir Brigade, under the command of the 36th Division, were joining the operation in Khan Yunis. [9]
On 6 June, Palestinian militants killed five Israeli soldiers in an ambush east of Khan Yunis, that involved a building rigged with an explosive which collapsed and killed the soldiers. [10]
On 12 June, the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation (GHF) reported that a bus carrying about two dozen Palestinian GHF workers was attacked by Hamas while on its way to a distribution center near Khan Yunis. The attack killed at least eight people and caused multiple injuries. [11] Hamas said that the aid workers were in reality members of the Popular Forces. [12]
On 24 June, seven Israeli soldiers operating in Khan Yunis were killed by an explosive device, thought to have been planted by Hamas' Al-Qassam Brigades. [13]
On 26 June, the Barbakh clan, which opposes both Hamas and Israel, engaged in armed clashes with Hamas forces at the Nasser Hospital in Khan Yunis. [2]
On 27 June, Popular Forces militants reportedly seized control of the Nasser Hospital after a gunbattle with Hamas forces. [14]
On 3 July, Ynet reported that the Fatah-affiliated Khanidak clan, led by Yasser Khanidak, was operating in Khan Yunis and was being armed by Israel. [15]
On 9 July, Palestinian militants attempted to abduct an Israeli soldier in Khan Yunis, who resisted and was then killed. [16]
On 20 August, 14 Al-Qassam Brigades gunmen attacked an Israeli military post in Khan Yunis near the Morag Corridor, likely in an attempt to abduct soldiers. Israeli forces exchanged gunfire with the attackers and reportedly killed between eight and ten gunmen while others retreated. [17] Three IDF soldiers were injured in the attack. [18]