As the Israel-Palestine conflict continues to escalate, theIsrael Defense Forces (IDF) face yet another looming challenge – the daunting task of surveilling and destroying the subterranean terror tunnels created by the Hamas militant group in the Gaza Strip.
These Hamas tunnels stretch up to 300 miles in length and have been used to effectively outpace IDF ground troops, allowing Hamas militants to launch surprise attacks on Israel from underground. These tunnels are also found to contain large caches of ammunition and explosives that are used to launch rockets at Israeli targets.
In order to gain an upper hand in their defensive efforts against these Hamas tunnels, the IDF has resorted to increasingly sophisticated surveillance techniques, such as satellite imagery and thermal cameras. These advantages have enabled the IDF to monitor and respond to tunnel construction activities, however the amount of tunnels created have multiplied so quickly that the surveillance techniques have proven inadequate in the long run.
The IDF has stepped up their efforts to counter these tunnels by deploying small robots into the tunnel networks. These robots are equipped with cameras and can help the IDF detect the presence of explosives and other hazardous materials, as well as any Hamas militants inside the tunnels, allowing them to respond accordingly and reduce civilian casualties.
In addition, the IDF has taken to using a combination of new technologies and old-fashioned physical destruction techniques in order to actually penetrate and destroy the tunnels. For example, the IDF has utilized a specialized form of explosives known as “tunnel-busters” to collapse any structures within the tunnels as well as pour in reinforced concrete into the openings of the tunnels.
Overall, the IDF faces an immense challenge in dealing with these Hamas tunnels as they continue to pose a genuine threat to the safety of Israeli citizens. Despite making some progress in recent months, both in terms of surveillance and destruction, the fact remains that the region is still extremely vulnerable to attacks from these hidden underground networks. If the IDF is to completely counteract this threat, they will need to increase their efforts in both technological and physical destruction methods.