The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Wednesday secured control of the entire length of the Gaza Strip-Egypt border known as the Philadelphia Corridor, and discovered around 20 tunnels nearby as they continued their military operations in Rafah.
The IDF also discovered a huge 1.5-kilometre-long tunnel complex filled with weapons and other facilities that served as a Hamas military base of operations.
Found: A 1.5km-long terrorist tunnel containing dozens of anti-tank missiles and weapons has been dismantled in eastern Rafah.
Just 100 meters from the Rafah checkpoint, our soldiers discovered a tunnel shaft that branched off into several different routes, containing several explosives. pic.twitter.com/OtOHCy2a78
— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) May 29, 2024
IDF spokesman Maj. Gen. Daniel Hagari Said Reporter (translated by IDF):
Our forces set up dozens of launchers along the corridor that were loaded with rockets and ready to fire, as well as launchers from which Hamas fired rockets and mortars into Israeli territory. Hamas used the Philadelphia Corridor to build this infrastructure just a few dozen meters from the Egyptian border to prevent us from attacking them. This infrastructure was set up 10-40 meters from the border, specifically to prevent Israel from attacking the area near the fence with Egypt. I would like to remind everyone that in recent weeks, Hamas has fired around 70 rockets and mortars from the Rafah area.
So far, our troops have found about 20 tunnels in the Philadelphia Corridor area. These tunnels are being investigated and neutralized. In parallel, our troops are continuing operations. These operations are carried out based on intelligence on specific locations in the area.
A few weeks ago, our forces discovered a large underground terrorist compound 1.5 km long in eastern Rafah. The entrance to the compound was located about 100 meters from the Rafah checkpoint. This route branched into several sub-routes and was used by Hamas terrorists to travel, transfer weapons and launch terrorist attacks. A large amount of weapons were found along the route, including anti-tank missiles, AK-47s, explosives and grenades. The 401st Brigade Combat Team operated along the route and destroyed it.
The IDF is conducting operations in Rafah to fight the last remaining Hamas battalions, and despite warnings from the Biden administration, Israel has since attacked the city, reversing its insistence that it is not actually conducting a “major” operation.
On Wednesday, White House national security spokesman John Kirby Said Israeli control of the Philadelphia Corridor coincides with a more limited military operation in Rafah that the United States is willing to tolerate.
Taking control of the Philadelphia Corridor would allow Israel to cut off a smuggling route that Hamas has used to smuggle weapons into the Gaza Strip and that Hamas leaders could use to flee by taking Israeli hostages.
Joel B. Pollack is executive editor of Breitbart News. Breitbart News Sunday The show airs Sunday nights from 7 to 10 p.m. (4 to 7 p.m. ET) on SiriusXM Patriot. He recently published an e-book,The Zionist Conspiracy (And How to Join It)” is available on Audible. He is also the author of an e-book. Not Free or Fair: The 2020 US Presidential ElectionHe is the recipient of the Robert Novak Journalism Alumni Fellowship in 2018. Follow him on Twitter. Joel Pollack.
