Illustrative. A Hamas attack tunnel discovered near the Israel-Gaza border on July 8, 2019. Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Office.

i24 News – The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced the destruction of a significant underground tunnel route in northern Gaza, stretching approximately 1.2 kilometers long and reaching a depth of about 20 meters.

The operation was carried out by the Northern Brigade’s combat team under the command of the IDF’s 252nd Division.

As part of ongoing military operations in the region, combat engineers from the elite Yahalom unit located and neutralized the tunnel, which posed a potential threat to Israeli forces operating in the area.

Near the tunnel, soldiers discovered a weapons cache containing around 20 explosive devices, an anti-tank missile launcher, and additional weaponry believed to have been prepared for use against IDF troops.

During the mission, an IDF drone identified several militants planting an explosive device near Israeli forces. In a rapid response, an Israeli Air Force aircraft conducted a targeted strike, eliminating the threat.

The IDF Spokesperson’s Unit says that the Israeli military continues to carry out operations across the Gaza Strip aimed at dismantling terrorist infrastructure and preventing future attacks on Israeli territory.