From the Liveblog of
Friday, May 9, 2025
IDF says it razed major Hamas tunnel in Rafah; location provided by operatives who surrendered
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
During recent operations in southern Gaza’s Rafah, the IDF says two Hamas operatives surrendered to troops and provided intelligence on a major tunnel in the area, which was demolished.
The two Hamas terror operatives were captured by soldiers of the 188th Armored Brigade and handed over to the Shin Bet. During their interrogation, the military says the pair provided “significant intelligence, pointing to the location of underground infrastructure in the area.”
The tunnel, which was located shortly after in Rafah’s Shaboura camp, served “key terrorists” in Hamas, the IDF says.
Combat engineers of the elite Yahalom unit mapped out the tunnel, which spanned around a kilometer and was some 25 meters below ground. The military says the tunnel featured rooms to reside in, a bathroom, a kitchenette, blast doors, and several entrance shafts.
The tunnel was then demolished, the army adds.
This video published by the IDF on May 9, 2025, shows the inside of a major Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza’s Rafah, and it being demolished. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Times of Israel Community.