US official says Israeli strike killed deputy Hamas chief

On May 10th, 2021, a US official announced that an Israeli strike had resulted in the death of the deputy leader of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, Bassem al-Sayyaf. The attack took place in Gaza City and was carried out by Israeli fighter jets.

According to the official, the strike was carried out in response to recent rocket attacks on Israel from Gaza, which had caused damage to civilian areas and resulted in the death of several people. The official stated that the Israeli military had taken "precautionary measures" to prevent further escalation of violence in the region.

Hamas is a Palestinian Islamic fundamentalist group that controls the Gaza Strip and has been involved in numerous conflicts with Israel over the years. The organization has been designated as a terrorist group by several countries, including the United States.

The death of al-Sayyaf is likely to have significant implications for Hamas' leadership and its ability to carry out attacks against Israel. It remains to be seen how the Israeli military will respond to this development and whether it will lead to further violence in the region.