“Following ISA intelligence, IDF fighter jets operated in the Gaza Strip and killed Billal Al Kedra last night, the Nukhba commander of the forces in southern Khan Yunis, who was responsible for the Kibbutz Nirim massacre. Hamas and Islamic Jihad terror operatives were also killed,” according to a joint announcement from the Israel Defense Forces and the Israel Securities Authority.

Israel’s claim could not immediately be confirmed.

Kibbutz Nirim was one of the traditional agricultural communities near the border with Gaza that was attacked in Hamas’ invasion last weekend. The Oct. 7 attack was the deadliest single day in Israel’s history.

Lerner added: “We will strike Hamas from the top through its institutions all the way down to the individuals that conducted the butchering of our babies. We did not ask for this war, but we will win it.”

He also warned Hezbollah to consider very carefully the potential consequences of attacking Israel from its base in Lebanon.

“I would highly recommend that Hezbollah watch very closely what is happening to Hamas and their organization in Gaza as we speak,” Lerner told Raddatz. “If they have, they should be very cautious of crossing that threshold because we are determined to defend the state of Israel.”