Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not briefed on the strike that killed Haniyeh’s three sons on Wednesday and did not approve the operation, Walla reported, citing an Israeli official.
According to the official, the operation was deemed by the IDF and Shin Bet as a tactical move and was carried out because of Haniyeh’s sons’s role in Hamas’s military wing.
An additional report by Kan News on Wednesday stated that the war cabinet had not discussed the strike.
Defence Minister Yoav Gallant was also not informed of the decision to eliminate Haniyeh’s sons; both he and Netanyahu were reported to have been taken by surprise by the strike, according to N12.
IDF decision-makers reportedly believed that as Israel is not close to having a deal with Hamas, such a move would not affect hostage negotiations.
A tactical move
The IDF explained the move was in line with procedures and fire policy as laid out by the Joint Chiefs of Staff; the attack was based on real-time pertinent information.
A source in the army told N12 that the timing of the attack is important and, therefore, it is up to the commanders in the field to approve it.
The IDF added that the three were involved in terrorist activities, and one of them was even involved in holding hostages.
The Israeli official told Walla that the IDF and the Shin Bet, which carried out the attack together, treated it as a tactical event. It was carried out due to the activity of the three brothers in the military wing of Hamas and not because they were the sons of Ismail Haniyeh.
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