The Israel Defense Forces announced that combat engineers have successfully demolished a Hamas tunnel stretching hundreds of meters beneath Khan Younis in southern Gaza, dealing a significant blow to the terror group’s underground infrastructure. According to the IDF, the tunnel exceeded 300 meters in length and formed part of Hamas’s extensive subterranean network used for combat operations, weapons storage, and covert movement of fighters.

Footage released by the IDF shows Israeli soldiers navigating through concrete-reinforced passages deep underground, revealing living quarters and stockpiles of weaponry embedded within the tunnel system. Inside, forces uncovered dozens of grenades, Kalashnikov rifles, RPG launchers, and explosive materials, underscoring the tunnel’s role as an active operational hub rather than a defensive structure. After securing the area and documenting the findings, engineers rigged the tunnel with explosives and carried out a controlled demolition to permanently neutralize the threat.

Israeli media reports indicate the operation took place on February 1, 2026, as part of ongoing efforts to dismantle Hamas’s underground capabilities following the October 2023 escalation. Military officials have repeatedly emphasized that these tunnels are a central pillar of Hamas’s strategy, enabling surprise attacks, shielding fighters from airstrikes, and allowing command-and-control operations to function beneath civilian areas.

Security experts estimate that Hamas has constructed more than 500 kilometers of tunnels across Gaza, forming a vast hidden network often referred to as the “terror tunnels.” The IDF has increasingly focused on subterranean warfare, combining intelligence, engineering expertise, and ground operations to locate and destroy these structures while minimizing risk to Israeli forces and civilians.

The demolition of the Khan Younis tunnel highlights Israel’s continued commitment to degrading Hamas’s military capabilities and preventing future attacks. Israeli officials have stressed that dismantling the underground network is essential to restoring security and ensuring that terrorist organizations cannot exploit hidden infrastructure to threaten Israel’s population or regional stability.