Israeli army demolishes long Hamas tunnel in Gaza Strip

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the demolition of a three-kilometre-long Hamas tunnel located in the Netzarim Corridor area of the central Gaza Strip.

The operation was carried out by the Yahalom combat engineering unit in collaboration with reservists from the Jerusalem Brigade, currently stationed in the corridor. The IDF released footage of the tunnel being destroyed, Caliber.Az reports, citing Israeli media.

The military stated that the tunnel, which did not cross into Israeli territory, had been previously damaged during the 2014 Gaza war but was reconstructed by Hamas over the years. The IDF described the recent operation as part of ongoing efforts to neutralize Hamas's underground infrastructure in the region.

The IDF highlighted that this area had already been targeted ten years ago during the military operation "Unbreakable Rock," a 50-day campaign against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip. During that period, a tunnel route in the same location was also destroyed. Despite these efforts, Hamas reportedly worked over many years to restore the tunnel's functionality.

The latest destruction of the tunnel is a part of Israel's broader strategy to dismantle Hamas's network of tunnels, which have been used for smuggling, military operations, and infiltration attempts into Israeli territory. The IDF emphasized that such operations are crucial for maintaining security and preventing future threats from Hamas militants.