IDF finds under-construction tunnel in West Bank’s Tulkarem
Tunnels are rare in the region, where the Israeli army operates regularly to dismantle terror infrastructure
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
The Israel Defense Forces said Friday it had located a short underground tunnel near a hospital in the West Bank city of Tulkarem amid an ongoing counter-terrorism operation.
The tunnel had an entrance but no exit, the military said, indicating that it was still under construction.
The IDF said troops would investigate the tunnel and then destroy it.
While Hamas built a vast tunnel network under the Gaza Strip, the dismantlement of which has been a key challenge of the ongoing war there, tunnels are rare in the West Bank, where the IDF regularly operates to demolish terror infrastructure.
The military resumed its major operation in the northern West Bank on Tuesday after a lull of a few days. The operation, dubbed “Summer Camps,” was launched on August 28.
Since the operation resumed, the IDF says it has killed 10 gunmen in clashes and drone strikes.
Also Friday, police released footage showing members of the elite Yamam unit detaining a wanted Palestinian in a hospital in the West Bank city of Halhul early Thursday.
The Palestinian suspect had been wounded in an attempted car bombing attack in Halhul a month ago, police and the Shin Bet said.
Police release footage showing members of the elite Yamam unit detaining a wanted Palestinian in a hospital in the West Bank city of Halhul early Thursday. https://t.co/muZfV8SD2P pic.twitter.com/crmNsvbjtC
— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) September 13, 2024
Since October 7, troops have arrested some 5,000 wanted Palestinians across the West Bank, including more than 2,000 affiliated with Hamas.
According to the PA health ministry, more than 670 West Bank Palestinians have been killed in that time. The IDF says the vast majority of them were gunmen killed in exchanges of fire, rioters who clashed with troops or terrorists carrying out attacks.
During the same period, 33 people, including Israeli security personnel, have been killed in terror attacks in Israel and the West Bank. Another six members of the security forces were killed in clashes with terror operatives in the West Bank.
Times of Israel staff and Agencies contributed to this report.
