Israel targeted the leader of Hamas’ military in an air strike on Saturday, in what would be the most significant assassination of the war if he is confirmed to be killed.

Mohammed Deif is considered one of the orchestrators of the Oct 7 massacre and has been involved in the kidnapping and killing of Israeli citizens for decades.

Known as “The Guest” on account of his reported habit of switching where he sleeps every night, Deif is also said to be the architect of the tunnel network stretching hundreds of kilometres underneath Gaza.

Saturday’s attack left over 70 people dead and more than 100 injured according to local media. Palestinian media said the strike hit a designated safe zone in Khan Younis known as al-Mawasi.

Israeli media cited military officials who said the strike targeted a building in the humanitarian zone between al-Mawasi and Khan Younis, but not in the tent camp, as Palestinian media reported. 

The army estimates that no hostages were in the area.

An Israeli official told The Telegraph: “Mohammed Deif was our target and so was the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, Rafa’a Salameh. We are waiting for final confirmation on the situation, but we are optimistic.”

Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defence minister, announced he had held an operational situation assessment with the heads of IDF and Shin Bet intelligence agency “in light of developments in Gaza”.

Deif was born in Khan Younis in 1967 and joined Hamas during the first Intifada. He became the leader of the terror group’s military in 2002 after Ahmed Jabari, his predecessor, was assassinated by Israel.

In the hours after the Oct 7 attack, Deif appeared in a recorded video message announcing the start of “Operation al-Aqsa Storm”.

“Enough is enough,” he said in the clip as he urged Palestinians to take up arms.

Israel holds Deif responsible for the kidnappings and murders of two Israeli soldiers, Shahar Simani and Aryeh Frankenthal, in 1994.

Deif was also behind two suicide bombings in Jerusalem and Askhelon in February 1996 where over 50 Israelis were killed. The attacks were seen as revenge for an Israeli assassination of Yahya Ayyash, a senior Hamas official known as “the Engineer”, for his role in bombings.

Deif is seen as responsible for the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in 2006, as well as strengthening Hamas’ military ties with Iran in recent years.

Rafa’a Salameh, the commander of Hamas’s Khan Younis Brigade, was also targeted in the strike, according to Israeli media.