Jerusalem, Nov 11 (IANS): Israel's military and Shin Bet internal security agency said that they had killed Muhammad Abu Sakhil, head of operations for the Islamic Jihad militant group, in an airstrike in the Gaza Strip.

The commander was targeted in "a precise strike" by the Israeli Air Force on Saturday, according to a joint statement. "Abu Sakhil operated in a command and control center embedded within a compound that previously served as the Fahd Al-Sabah School in northern Gaza," the statement added.

Israeli security forces described Abu Sakhil as "a significant figure" in Islamic Jihad, responsible for planning and coordinating attacks, including joint operations with Hamas against Israeli civilians and troops in Gaza, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine, often referred to simply as Islamic Jihad, is a militant group primarily operating in the Gaza Strip. Founded in 1981, it is the second-largest armed group in Gaza after Hamas.