BICOM

In an operation early this morning, IDF forces prevented 13 Hamas terrorists from infiltrating into Israel through a tunnel originating in the Gaza Strip, with the intention of carrying out a major attack.

The incident began at around 4am, when IDF lookouts spotted the group emerging from a tunnel around 250 metres inside Israel, situated near Kibbutz Sufa. IDF forces then opened fire on ground and by air. Some of the terrorists were hit while others attempted to flee back into the tunnel, which was bombed by Israeli air forces. The IDF said that it had “neutralized the threat” after several hours and confirmed that no Israeli troops had suffered injuries during the operation. Residents of Kibbutz Sufa were instructed to stay indoors while the operation unfolded and Israeli troops searched the area to ensure no terrorists had successfully infiltrated.

IDF Spokesman Brig. Gen. Moti Almoz said, “This is another successful thwarting of a Hamas attack planned for the southern area. We are ready for these scenarios in the coming days.” Last week, Hamas terrorists attempted to infiltrate Israel by sea, landing at Zikim beach where they were prevented from launching an attack after a battle with IDF forces.

Almoz underscored the importance of preventing this morning’s infiltration, saying that the potential attack could have been disastrous, including killings and kidnappings. He commented, “This is a significant success by us. Had we not succeeded, we would have woken up to 13 terrorists in a kibbutz.”

Israeli forces have uncovered tunnels designed by Hamas to infiltrate Israel on several occasions during the past year. In March a tunnel was found stretching around 1,800 metres, of which 300 metres was situated in Israeli territory. In October last year, the IDF revealed that it had found a huge 1.7 kilometre-long tunnel, which included an electrical system and a phone line. Last month, five Hamas activists were killed when a tunnel being prepared for an apparent attack on Israel, collapsed.