United States confirms IDF killing of high-ranking Hamas leader Marwan Issa

March 19 (UPI) -- Israel killed a top Hamas leader in an operation last week, U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan confirmed.

Sullivan announced in a press conference Monday that the operation killed Marwan Issa, Hamas' third-ranked leader, noting that Israel has made "significant progress against Hamas" since the Oct. 7 attack that sparked the war in Gaza.

"They've broken a significant number of Hamas battalions, killed thousands of Hamas fighters, including senior commanders," Sullivan said.

"The rest of the top leaders are in hiding, likely deep in the Hamas tunnel network. And justice will come for them, too, and we are helping to ensure that."

The Israel Defense Forces announced the attack targeting an underground compound where Issa was believed to be hiding on March 11.

It identified him as the deputy of Mohammed Deif and one of the planners of the Oct. 7 attack.

Israeli Defense Forces Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi said Sunday that Hamas was attempting to conceal Issa's fate after Israel's strike last week.

Issa and Deif were blacklisted by the European Union in December.

The confirmation of Issa's death comes as U.S. President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu talked Monday about the possible attack on Rafah. The White House said Israel had not come up with a plan that would safely move civilians from the area before the attack.

Rafah is a major humanitarian entry point into Gaza bordered by Egypt. Egypt has expressed significant concern about an attack on Rafah because of the likely effects it would have on its border.