By: Fern Sidman

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed on Thursday that troops in southern Gaza successfully thwarted an attempted Hamas ambush near Khan Younis, in what military officials described as a large and coordinated operation by at least a dozen armed operatives. According to a report that appeared on VIN News, the incident highlights both the persistent threat posed by Hamas units in the area and the effectiveness of Israeli surveillance and strike capabilities in preventing potential kidnappings of soldiers.

Military investigators reported that the Hamas unit numbered at least 12 operatives, a significantly larger force than what has been typically deployed in ambush attempts against Israeli forces. As the report at VIN News noted, the operatives were armed with assault rifles and rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), and military analysts believe the squad’s objective was to kidnap Israeli troops operating in the sector.

The squad positioned itself alongside an IDF logistics road in Khan Younis, a route frequently used to supply forward operating units. In a tactic designed for concealment, the operatives covered themselves with blankets, lying in wait for Israeli vehicles or foot patrols to pass.

According to video footage circulated on social media and later confirmed by the IDF, the attempted ambush was detected by troops from the Golani Brigade’s 13th Battalion, who had deployed a drone to survey the area. The drone spotted the unusual gathering along the roadside, prompting commanders to call in additional aerial support.

A Hermes 450 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) from the Israeli Air Force was directed to target the squad. However, the operatives quickly fled back into a tunnel complex adjacent to their position before the UAV strike could be executed.

The use of underground networks in southern Gaza has long been a defining feature of Hamas tactics, allowing its operatives to stage attacks and retreat rapidly into fortified tunnel systems. Military officials cited in the VIN News report emphasized that the swift withdrawal of the squad shed light on Hamas’s continued reliance on subterranean infrastructure in the Khan Younis sector.

As the incident unfolded, Israeli forces also detected a Hamas-operated drone flying above the area. The UAV appeared to be conducting real-time reconnaissance, relaying battlefield intelligence to the ambush squad.

A subsequent IDF probe, as cited in the VIN News report suggested that the Hamas drone was coordinating the movements of the squad and  ay have been intended to guide them toward the optimal moment for attack. The presence of this drone illustrated Hamas’s continued use of low-cost aerial technology to augment its operations, despite sustained IDF efforts to neutralize such assets.

Shortly after the ambush attempt, videos of the incident began circulating widely on social media, showing the operatives positioning themselves under blankets and later retreating. The IDF confirmed that it is conducting an internal investigation into the leak, seeking to determine how sensitive footage entered the public domain so quickly.

According to the information provided in the VIN News report, the military has not ruled out the possibility that Hamas itself may have released some of the material as part of its information warfare strategy, though the probe remains ongoing.

Military commentators interviewed by VIN News noted that the attempted ambush bore hallmarks of a high-risk, high-reward strategy by Hamas, which may have been seeking a propaganda victory by capturing Israeli troops. Such kidnappings are considered a top strategic priority for Hamas, given their potential to be leveraged in future negotiations.

At the same time, the thwarting of the operation demonstrates the integration of drone surveillance, unit-level vigilance, and rapid air support within IDF operations in Gaza. Analysts stressed that without the Golani Brigade’s early identification of the operatives, the outcome might have been far more serious.

The Khan Younis area has remained a center of Hamas military activity despite ongoing IDF operations aimed at dismantling tunnel networks and neutralizing terrorist infrastructure. Over recent months, Israeli forces have uncovered extensive tunnel complexes, weapons caches, and command centers embedded within civilian areas.

As VIN News frequently reported, the IDF continues to treat Khan Younis as one of the most strategically important sectors in southern Gaza, not only for its dense tunnel systems but also for its role as a hub of Hamas command activity.

The foiled ambush in Khan Younis represents the latest in a series of confrontations illustrating both the persistence of Hamas’s military apparatus and the vigilance of Israeli forces. While the operatives managed to evade destruction by retreating underground, the incident highlights the constant cat-and-mouse dynamic of the conflict, with Hamas seeking to stage high-profile attacks and the IDF relying on layered surveillance and strike assets to counter them.

As investigations continue into the leaked footage and the precise scope of the attempted operation, VIN News reported that the IDF remains committed to securing critical logistics routes and preventing Hamas from achieving any symbolic or operational success through kidnappings.