After curbing its operations in line with US instructions since the July deal took effect, the IDF is confident on removing ongoing threats in Gaza, military sources said.Follow us on GoogleA Palestinian man walks past the rubble of buildings destroyed by the IDF in Khan Yunis, the southern Gaza Strip, August 11, 2026(photo credit: Bashar Taleb / AFP via Getty Images)ByYONAH JEREMY BOBAUGUST 13, 2026 15:32Updated: AUGUST 13, 2026 15:54The Israeli Air Force on Thursday attacked a Gazan terror cell in Khan Yunis, the second "attack of choice" in two days after a pause in such attacks since a new US-Hamas deal in late July.IDF sources told The Jerusalem Post that the cell was not extremely senior, but was in the process of planning and shortly carrying out an operation against the IDF.According to those sources, since the US-Hamas deal, the IDF has halted attacks on Hamas members who were involved in the October 7 invasion and on other strategic Hamas assets or leaders, but it is still carrying out attacks against operatives who it knows are moving toward an attack.This means that the IDF is even willing to attack such terrorists midstream and before the attack is imminent so as not to incidentally miss the ability to thwart the attack.Unlike the West Bank, where the IDF and Shin Bet tend to arrest such terror plotters, due to the IDF's current inability to go in and out of areas controlled by Hamas in Gaza, airstrikes will still be the preferred tool.The ''Adir'' (F-35I) fighter jet during the ''Blue Flag'', an international aerial training exercise at the Ovda air force base, Southern Israel, November 11, 2019. (credit: YONATAN SINDEL/FLASH90)In addition, the IDF continues to shoot and kill Hamas fighters who approach the yellow line dividing the Israeli-controlled portion of Gaza from the Hamas-controlled portion.IDF not restricting soldiers from defending themselves; US offers tacit approval until Hamas takes actionThe IDF rejects allegations that it is holding its soldiers back from defending themselves.Although it was not explicit, the implication was that the US is on board with this current IDF approach, at least until Hamas starts to actively partially disarm, which it has not yet started to do.On Wednesday, the IDF undertook its first preemptive strike against a Hamas official since the late July deal regarding partial Hamas disarmament for partial IDF Gaza withdrawals.Shortly after that deal, the US essentially instructed Israel to stop attacking Gaza, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu complied.Since then, there had been a limited number of instances where the IDF shot and killed Hamas fighters near the border who presented what they called an immediate threat, but there had essentially been no assassinations of Hamas officials who did not pose an imminent threat.IDF continues operating within framework of US July dealHowever, Wednesday's airstrike was against a Hamas terror cell commander in northern Gaza who was nowhere near the border and presented no immediate threat.Rather, the IDF said he was killed because he was planning to order or carry out future terror attacks.There was no public condemnation from the US over the attack.Palestinians are seen walking in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, August 12, 2026 (credit: ABED RAHIM KHATIB/FLASH90)Alternatively, the late July deal was supposed to lead to Hamas starting to hand over some weapons within two weeks, and the airstrike could be a light reminder from Israel, with the US looking the other way, that if Hamas does not start handing over some weapons soon, Washington can easily remove its restraint on Jerusalem.It is also possible that the cabinet and the IDF high command ordered the airstrike in response to Hamas's recent planning of a potential large-scale military drill, with Israeli officials receiving public criticism for not firing on Hamas.Earlier Wednesday, the IDF issued a statement saying that the Hamas drill never materialized, but ordering the airstrike could still be a message to the group that even planning such a drill is seen by Israel as out of bounds.Follow us on Google