The news is stark. A Hamas commander dead. Israel's air strike precise. The conflict in Gaza just ratcheted up a notch.
Sources within the IDF confirm the target was a senior figure in the militant wing. Name not yet released. But the message is clear. Israel is moving up the chain of command.
This is not a random bombing. This is a calculated decapitation strike. The sort of thing that shifts the power dynamics inside Hamas. Tempers. Rattles cages.
On the ground, the fallout is immediate. Retaliation expected. Rockets will fly. The Iron Dome will earn its keep.
Politically, this is a double-edged sword. For Netanyahu, it plays to the base. Shows strength. But it also invites escalation. International pressure will mount. The usual chorus of condemnation. Calls for restraint.
But in the West Bank and Gaza, the reaction is rage. This will be used as a recruiting tool. Hamas will promise revenge.
I am hearing from lobby sources that the British government is monitoring closely. Quiet diplomacy underway. But no one expects a ceasefire soon.
The game is now about who blinks first. Israel has drawn a line in the sand. Hamas will step over it. The cycle continues.
For now, the commander is dead. But the conflict is very much alive. This is Eleanor Rigby, Political Bureau Chief. Over to the studio.
