The Pros and Cons of Targeted Killing

Israel and its allies have faced a staggering 18,221 individual rocket and drone attacks since 7 October 2023 .

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in Gaza , from Hezbollah in Lebanon , from the Houthis in Yemen , from militias in Iraq and Syria , and from Iran itself.

Killing the commanders responsible for terrorist attacks is an attempt to reestablish the deterrence that failed so dramatically on 7 October .

Haniyeh was elected head of Hamas ’s political bureau, the highest political position within the organisation.

He was killed by an explosion at the IRGC special residence in which he was sleeping in the early hours of 31 July .

Israel has not claimed responsibility for his death and the method employed remains unclear.

We can be sure that Fouad Shukur was killed in an Israeli airstrike the day before .

Shukur was the senior military advisor to Hassan Nasrullah , Hezbollah ’s political leader.

He was included on a US sanctions list, and a US$5 million bounty was placed on his head.

He became deeply involved in terrorist operations in southern Lebanon , including roadside bombings and guerilla attacks on IDF soldiers.