Battle of Khan Yunis (2025)

Last updated

Battle of Khan Yunis (2025)
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
October 2023 Gaza-Israel conflict.svg

  Gaza Strip under Hamas control
  Gaza Strip under Israeli control
  Furthest Israeli advance in the Gaza Strip
Date26 May 2025 [1] – present
(3 months, 1 week and 2 days)
Location
Status Ongoing
Belligerents
Commanders and leaders
Flag of Israel.svg Yaniv Asor
Flag of Israel.svg Moran Omer  [ he ]
Flag of Israel.svg Guy Levy  [ he ]
Yasser Abu Shabab
Fatah Flag Vector Graphic.svg Yasser Khanidak
Flag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg Izz al-Din al-Haddad
Flag of al-Qassam Brigades.svg Muhammad Abu Shamala  X [3] [4]
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.

Contents

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]

Background

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.

Battle

May

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]

June

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]

July

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]

August

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]

See also

Notes

  1. The Barbakh clan is reportedly opposed to both Hamas and Israel. However, Hamas claims that the clan is their ally and that only rogue clan members have fought against the group. [2]

References

  1. 1 2 3 Fabian, Emmanuel (26 May 2025). "IDF division completes Rafah operations, pushes into Khan Younis in new offensive". The Times of Israel. Retrieved 9 June 2025.
  2. 1 2 "Threats or nuisance? After years of cooperation, some Gaza clans rise up against Hamas". The Times of Israel. 2 July 2025. Retrieved 11 July 2025.
  3. Klaiman, Shachar (14 August 2025). "דיווחים בעזה: חוסל מפקד בזרוע הצבאית של חמאס" [Reports from Gaza: Hamas military-wing commander eliminated]. Israel Hayom (in Hebrew). Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  4. Abu Ali Express (14 August 2025). "צה"ל חיסל בכיר בכוחות הנח'בה בח'אן יונס" [IDF eliminated a senior member of the Nukhba forces in Khan Yunis]. Abu Ali Express (in Hebrew). Retrieved 14 August 2025.
  5. Zitun, Yoav (17 June 2025). "Second soldier killed in Gaza explosive attack in two days, IDF says". Ynetnews. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  6. JNS Staff (27 May 2025). "IDF steps up Gaza offensive under Operation 'Gideon's Chariots'". Jewish News Syndicate. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  7. Bar, Neta (7 June 2025). "The tunnel war: IDF dismantles Hamas' underground empire". Israel Hayom. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  8. "IDF Combat Engineers Dismantle an Offensive Underground Tunnel". Israel Defense Forces. 29 May 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  9. "Troops of the Kfir Brigade Operating in the Khan Yunis Area". Israel Defense Forces. 30 May 2025. Retrieved 10 June 2025.
  10. The New Arab Staff. "Israel bombs Gaza, five Israeli troops killed in ambush". The New Arab. Archived from the original on 7 June 2025. Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  11. "US-backed Gaza Humanitarian Foundation says 8 aid workers killed in attack". Al Jazeera. 12 June 2025. Archived from the original on 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  12. "Hamas says it killed 12 Israeli-backed fighters. Israeli-supported group says they were aid workers". PBS News. 12 June 2025. Retrieved 12 June 2025.
  13. Rasgon, Adam (25 June 2025). "7 Israeli Soldiers Killed in Gaza, Military Says". The New York Times. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved 25 June 2025.
  14. "Members of Abu Shabab have taken control of Nasser Hospital | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post . 28 June 2025. ISSN   0792-822X . Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  15. Halabi, Einav (3 July 2025). "Israel arms Fatah-linked militias, combatting Hamas in Gaza". Ynetnews. Retrieved 9 July 2025.
  16. "IDF soldier killed by Gazan terrorists in Khan Yunis kidnapping attempt | The Jerusalem Post". The Jerusalem Post . 9 July 2025. ISSN   0792-822X . Retrieved 10 July 2025.
  17. "14 Palestinian fighters attack Israeli army post in southern Gaza: Media". Middle East Monitor. 20 August 2025. Retrieved 20 August 2025.
  18. "IDF Soldier Seriously Wounded After Over 15 Hamas Militants Attack Army Post in Gaza's Khan Yunis". Haaretz. 20 August 2025.