US officials confirm Hamas' tunnels being pumped with seawater by Israel

The Israeli military has begun pumping seawater into Hamas’s vast complex of tunnels in Gaza in an attempt to destroy the underground structure and assets inside of it.

As reported by the Wall Street Journal, this latest development was confirmed by US officials briefed on the Israeli military’s operations.

Meanwhile, Israel's military has announced an escalation of operations underground in both northern Gaza and beneath the southern city of Khan Younis, one of the last significant strongholds for Hamas.

Israel's top general, Herzi Halevi, stated on December 11, speaking from Khan Younis that they are strengthening their control over northern Gaza, penetrating the southern strip, and intensifying activities underground.

While Israel has gained control of approximately 40% of the coastal enclave above ground, military analysts emphasize that the tunnels established by Hamas present a more significant obstacle.

The extensive tunnel network controlled by Hamas poses a substantial challenge to Israel's objectives in the region. Despite ongoing efforts, analysts believe that Israel has not yet eradicated most of these tunnels, representing a major hurdle in their mission to dismantle Hamas's military capabilities.

The measure of flooding the tunnels has long been anticipated by military experts as the Israeli military is cautious about sending soldiers underground due to concerns about losing their tactical advantage and the potential hazards of subterranean warfare in potentially booby-trapped tunnels.