Hamas Cell of 18 Gunmen Storms IDF Encampment in Khan Younis; Three Soldiers Wounded, At Least 10 Militants Killed

An Israel Defense Forces probe revealed that a Hamas unit of at least 18 operatives launched a surprise raid on an army encampment in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Wednesday morning, according to The Times of Israel.

The attack, which began around 9 a.m., involved militants emerging from a tunnel and opening fire with machine guns and RPGs as they advanced toward the IDF position. According to the military’s assessment, the Hamas gunmen intended to kidnap soldiers during the assault.

Some attackers breached the perimeter, where they clashed directly with troops from the Kfir Brigade’s Nahshon Battalion. The IDF reported that at least 10 militants were killed in the firefight and accompanying airstrikes, while eight others fled back through the tunnel. Three Israeli soldiers were wounded, one seriously, before the army regained control of the post.

Footage released by the IDF showed precision airstrikes on Hamas targets, while additional videos circulating online depicted a tank from the 74th Armored Battalion ramming an RPG-wielding operative. Graphic clips also showed the bodies of two assailants inside the encampment, The Times of Israel noted.

בקרבות פנים אל פנים: לוחמי חטיבת כפיר חיסלו כעשרה מחבלים לאחר שביצעו ירי לעברם

מוקדם יותר היום, יותר מ-15 מחבלים ביצעו התקפה משולבת של ירי מקלעים ונ״ט, ומספר מחבלים חדרו למגנן של כוחות מגדוד נחשון של חטיבת כפיר במרחב ח׳אן יונס.
במהלך האירוע, לוחמי החטיבה הצליחו לחסל כ-10 מחבלים… pic.twitter.com/ROGLPWMavY

— צבא ההגנה לישראל (@idfonline) August 20, 2025

Hamas’s military wing, the Al-Qassam Brigades, claimed responsibility for the raid, boasting that its fighters stormed the site, detonated explosives, and struck tanks and IDF positions with heavy fire. The group further alleged that its men killed soldiers at close range and carried out a suicide bombing. However, the IDF said no troops were killed, dismissing the claims as exaggerated propaganda.

The military stated it is pursuing the remaining Hamas operatives involved in the rare large-scale infiltration. The incident follows a similar attack attempt last month in Khan Younis, when 12 gunmen tried to ambush an IDF logistics road.

Footage from the Hamas attack on an IDF encampment in southern Gaza’s Khan Younis this morning shows a tank of the 74th Armored Battalion ramming into a RPG-wielding operative. pic.twitter.com/eDbd8C5pVt

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) August 20, 2025

Wednesday’s assault unfolded as Israeli forces prepared for a wider operation in Gaza City, underscoring the persistent threat Hamas cells pose even as the war enters its next phase, according to The Times of Israel.