Israeli Air Force drones. Photo: Wikipedia.

The Israeli army on Thursday released UAV footage of an air strike in Gaza that killed three senior Hamas members overnight. The IDF said the operatives were responsible for scores of terror attacks against Israelis over the last two decades.

Mohammed Abu Shamlah, Raed Attar, and Muhamad Barhoum were together in a building when they were targeted.

“This mornings’ strike sends a clear message to those responsible for planning attacks, we will strike those that have terrorized our communities, towns and cities, we will pursue the perpetrators of abduction of our soldiers and teenagers, and we will succeed in restoring security to the State of Israel,” IDF Spokesman Lt.-Col. Peter Lerner, said in a statement.

“Hamas terrorists orchestrating attacks against Israel, launching rockets indiscriminately at our civilians and abducting our soldiers will not evade our intelligence and striking capabilities,” Lerner asserted.

The IDF also published details about the terror chiefs:

“Raed Attar (1974) is a senior Hamas terrorist in charge of the Rafah region. Attar took an active part and is responsible for attacks including rocket attacks, attack using explosive devices, and infiltrations into Israel which led to the death of Israeli civilians. In addition, Attar was directly involved in the implementation and execution of Gilad Shalits’ kidnapping, as well as holding him hostage in the Gaza Strip.

“Attar was responsible for overseeing all terror activity in the Rafah region; orchestrating complex attacks, constructing offensive terror tunnels which infiltrated into Israeli territory and designing terror attacks via the Sinai Peninsula.

“Attar’s role in the Hamas terror apparatus was to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip and oversee the terrorist capabilities recruiting and arming in the Rafah region.

“Mohammed Abu Shamlah (1974), is the Hamas most senior terror operative in the southern Gaza Strip. Shamlah oversaw and commanded the terror militant campaign and effort in the southern Gaza Strip and orchestrated the infiltration of 13 Hamas terrorists through an offensive tunnel near the community of Sufa during Operation Protective Edge.

“Abu Shamlah, who began operating in the early nineties along with Mohammad Dief and Raed Attar, has been directly involved in multiple murderous attacks against Israel including:

• 1994 – The murder of an IDF officer in Rafah
• 2004- A viscous attack of an IDF military post via an explosive tunnel, planned by Hamas. Explosives were activated against the post, which killed 6 IDF soldiers and injured over 10.
• 2008- A terror attack of the Kerem Shalom crossing which involved the use of explosive laden military type jeeps and injured 13 soldiers.
• 2006 – Shamlah was directly involved in the construction and execution of the terror attack in the Kerem Shalom crossing which led to Gilad Shalits’ kidnapping and the death of two IDF soldiers.”

“Muhamad Barhoun, whose death the IDF confirmed earlier today, was a senior Hamas operative in the Rafah area who smuggled weapons to terrorists. For several years, he lived in Libya and Syria, where he raised funds for the terrorist group and transferred them to Gaza.

“Hamas terrorists orchestrating attacks against Israel, launching rockets indiscriminately at our civilians and abducting our soldiers will not evade our intelligence and striking capabilities,” Lerner said.

Watch the video clip of the strike below: