How Israel ‘wiped out’ Hamas top commander Mohammad Sinwar in 30 seconds from a hospital underground hideout

In a daring and highly coordinated airstrike, Israel eliminated senior Hamas commander Mohammad Sinwar on May 13, targeting an underground militant hub hidden beneath the European Hospital at Khan Younis in Gaza, as per the official Israeli military account.

The strike, which dropped over 50 precision bombs in a matter of 30 seconds, was designed to neutralise what Israeli Intelligence described as a Hamas command-and-control centre. The operation was meticulously planned by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), in conjunction with the Shin Bet security agency and the Israel Securities Authority, using real-time surveillance, layered intelligence and advanced munitions.

Israeli military officials said Sinwar—younger brother of slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar—had been operating from a fortified subterranean bunker, directing militant operations alongside fellow operative Mohammad Shabana. Both were killed instantly as bombs tore through the underground facility, leaving the hospital above reportedly untouched.

Visual evidence released by the military in the days following the strike included 3D renderings and drone footage, revealing the complex tunnel structure that lay beneath the hospital. The IDF claimed the compound had been used to coordinate attacks and that Hamas had knowingly placed command assets beneath civilian infrastructure to deter Israeli retaliation and exploit potential casualties for propaganda.

The military described the target as a “Hamas combat control centre”, asserting that its operatives had been using the hospital as cover. Officials insisted that prior to and during the operation, extensive measures were taken to avoid civilian harm, and that the hospital remained functional despite the magnitude of the strike.

Though Hamas’s Health Ministry in Gaza reported 16 deaths and over 70 injuries, Israel disputed the figures and maintained that the operation was a textbook case of precision warfare.

The killing of Mohammad Sinwar marks one of the most major Hamas leadership losses since the war began in October 2023. Following his brother Yahya’s death—reportedly in a drone strike last October—Mohammad had emerged as a key figure in the group’s military wing, taking charge of battlefield coordination and strategy.

Israeli officials, while not commenting directly on Sinwar’s rank, indicated that the strike sent a strong message about the reach and sophistication of Israeli intelligence. The operation, they suggested, was not just a tactical win, but a symbolic blow to Hamas’s command structure deep within Gaza’s urban and civilian centres.

Though Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu named Mohammad Sinwar among the militants eliminated in a recent speech to the Knesset, Hamas has not publicly confirmed his death—adding a layer of ambiguity even as Israel stands by the outcome of one of its most complex strikes to date.