JERUSALEM, March 17 (Xinhua) -- The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and the Israeli domestic security agency Shin-Bet on Tuesday announced in a joint statement that they killed a senior Hamas naval commander in a targeted strike in Gaza.

Younes Mohammed Hussein Alian, commander of the northern Gaza brigade in Hamas' naval array, was struck on Monday, the statement said, adding that Alian was responsible for overseeing naval forces, advancing unit capabilities, and managing training and weapons readiness.

It claimed that Alian had been working in recent weeks to rebuild the brigade's operational capacity and was planning imminent attacks.

It added that precautions were taken to avoid civilian harm, including the use of precision munitions and aerial surveillance.

Earlier in the day, the Palestinian Red Crescent Society and local medical sources said three Palestinians were killed and 14 others injured on Tuesday in an Israeli airstrike that targeted a vehicle in the al-Mawasi area in southern Gaza.

Meanwhile, Gaza's health authorities said Tuesday the death toll in the enclave since Oct. 7, 2023, has risen to 72,249, with 171,898 wounded. ■