IDF soldiers discovered the shaft of a tunnel dug in Israeli territory for the purpose of carrying out a terror attack Monday during routine activity adjacent to the security fence in the southern Gaza Strip area.
The tunnel was discovered roughly 150 meters from the security fence, two kilometers from the community of Nir Oz. Engineering forces have examined the opening, and IDF forces are expected to continue operating in the area today.
The incident is currently under investigation, including an assessment of when the tunnel was built.
This incident, which indicates the intent to execute terror attacks against Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers on Israeli territory, is seen as a severe one.
Roughly three months ago, an IDF force discovered a tunnel laden with explosives in the southern Gaza Strip. That force had located a number of explosives in the area, and as it worked to repair the border fence, the tunnel was detonated.
This caused a very large explosion that exposed a tunnel roughly four meters deep and four meters wide. A vacant IDF vehicle that was in the area was thrown into the air from the force of the explosion.
Subsequently, during Operation Pillar of Defense, the IDF targeted 140 smuggling tunnels and 66 tunnels designed to facilitate attacks.
