Just after midnight on Tuesday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that they had targeted a tunnel used by Hamas to infiltrate Israel from the sea. This sea tunnel is a significant indicator that Hamas has developed new ways to launch deadly attacks on Israel. While Hamas already has an extensive network of tunnels underneath the Gaza Strip, which have been compared to miniature cities, this particular tunnel’s exit was on a beach.
One of the reasons for Israel’s delayed response to the Hamas attack on October 7 is believed to be the tunnels. Beneath the densely populated coastal strip of Gaza, there is a complex network of underground passages, chambers, cells, and even roads for vehicles. Hamas is suspected of using these tunnels to hide weapons, fighters, and command centers. On Saturday night, Israeli fighter planes targeted 150 underground sites in the northern Gaza Strip.
For Israeli forces planning a large-scale ground invasion, the tunnels pose a significant challenge. Hamas has dedicated years to refining their tunnel system. And for the civilians living above these tunnels, the prospect of surviving an underground war is frightening. General Joseph L. Votel, former leader of United States Central Command, warned that the fighting would be bloody and brutal.
Major obstacles for Israeli forces during a ground invasion will be the extensive tunnel network that Hamas has created. This was evident during the battle for Mosul in Iraq when ISIS fighters were found hiding in elaborate tunnels. The Israeli military estimates that each tunnel costs Hamas approximately $3 million. They vary in construction, with some made using prefabricated concrete and iron, complete with medical rooms, while others have rooms located 130 feet below ground where people can hide for extended periods.
Israelis commonly refer to the tunnel system as “lower Gaza” or the “metro.” During her 17-day captivity by Hamas, 85-year-old Yocheved Lifshitz described being led through a complex maze of tunnels. Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari accused Hamas of constructing tunnels and facilities beneath Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza, the region’s largest medical center. General Votel, who visited a tunnel controlled by Lebanese militia Hezbollah, was astonished by the complexity and effort involved in creating these underground tunnels.
The tunnel construction significantly increased after Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007 and Israel tightened its blockade. Palestinians responded by building hundreds of tunnels to smuggle goods, people, and weapons into Gaza. The networks were concealed within houses and small structures on the Egyptian side of the border. However, this arrangement was disrupted when Egypt began efforts to destroy the tunnels a decade ago. Israel’s visibility into tunnel activity on the Egyptian side is limited, and it remains unclear how many cross-border tunnels remain.
Hamas has released a video displaying fighters emerging from tunnels and staging mock attacks on Israeli tanks. These tunnels continue to be dug by hand or with shovels to avoid detection, given the sandy terrain. The tunnels are typically about six and a half feet tall and three feet wide, resulting in soldiers having to move through them single file. The narrow dimensions present operational challenges for the IDF.
Tunnels are considered high-risk areas, as they are likely to be booby-trapped. Colonel Amir Olo, a former commander of Yahalom, an elite combat engineering unit responsible for tunnel dismantling, attested to the omnipresence of booby traps. Soldiers clearing tunnels have encountered booby traps multiple times, and in 2013, six Israeli soldiers were wounded when a booby trap exploded as they attempted to insert a camera into a Hamas tunnel. The fear of being surrounded and attacked from behind is another concern for soldiers.
The IDF faces significant technological challenges in detecting, fighting, and ultimately destroying tunnels. Ground forces are required to counter tunneling tactics effectively. Specialized units like Samur (weasel) focus on underground warfare and train on mock tunnels in Israel. While airstrikes and remote-powered sensors can target tunnels, complete and thorough dismantlement often requires sending in ground troops.
To Summarize:
The IDF targeted a sea tunnel used by Hamas to infiltrate Israel, signaling their evolving attack strategies. Hamas has an extensive underground tunnel network beneath Gaza, and for Israeli forces planning a ground invasion, this poses a major challenge. The tunnels, likened to miniature cities, are used to hide weapons and fighters. The construction of these tunnels has multiplied since Hamas took control of Gaza in 2007. The IDF faces significant obstacles due to the complexity of the tunnel system, including booby traps. Fully dismantling the tunnels would require ground forces and poses technological challenges.