Egyptian Army personnel. Photo: www.news.egypt.com.

JNS.org – Egyptian security forces recently destroyed a 0.75-mile-long tunnel near Rafah under the border between the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza that was used to smuggle weapons, fuel, food, and other consumer goods.

According to Palestinian news agency Maan, which cited a senior Egyptian security official, the tunnel opening was discovered in a bedroom in a house on the Egyptian side of Rafah. The house belonged to a smuggler known to Egyptian authorities in the Sinai Peninsula.

The tunnel reportedly had lighting and air ventilation systems as well as phone lines connected to central call centers, allowing Egyptian and Palestinian smugglers to communicate and coordinate their shipments. Witnesses said a large force of Egyptian military sappers destroyed the tunnel using various types of industrial equipment.

Egypt has blamed the Hamas terrorist group, which controls Gaza, for helping terrorists in the Sinai carry out attacks against Egyptian security forces.