The body of Yahya Sinwar was shown by Israeli media
IDF/Twitter

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced on Thursday that they killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a recent operation in the Gaza Strip.

The military apparently ran into him while in Gaza and was not on a direct mission to target him.

The official X account of the Israeli government said that "three terrorists were eliminated" during IDF operations.

The IDF later posted: "Eliminated: Yahya Sinwar."

"In the building where the terrorists were eliminated, there were no signs of the presence of hostages in the area. The forces that are operating in the area are continuing to operate with the required caution," the government added.

The IDF and the Shin Bet intelligence agency said the incident took place on Wednesday night when, during a routine patrol, IDF soldiers encountered three armed men and killed them after exchanging fire. The encounter was incidental and not based on intelligence.

Sinwar was both the political and military leader of Hamas after the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Iran in July.

He was considered the chief architect of last October's invasion of Israel that left 1,200 people dead and hundreds more kidnapped back into Gaza.

Sinwar was on Israel's most-wanted list. It is unclear who will replace him.

Hamas had not issued a statement on his death.