The IDF says its troops have located a large Hamas tunnel network in the Khan Younis area of southern Gaza that features the largest underground weapons production site discovered to date in the region. Troops from the 7th Armored Brigade and the elite Yahalom combat engineering team conducted the operation in a “strategic and central” Hamas stronghold in Khan Younis, situated in a residential area near two schools. As troops raided the area, Hamas operatives responded with gunfire, launching RPGs, and detonating tunnel entrances to prevent entry. The IDF reports engaging in multiple battles with “many” Hamas gunmen, killing them through close-quarters combat, machine gun fire, tank shelling, and airstrikes. Subsequently, the 7th Brigade and Yahalom soldiers discovered several tunnel entrances, leading to a network spanning approximately 1.5 kilometers. This tunnel network was found to house an underground rocket manufacturing plant, the largest discovered in southern Gaza. Following investigation, the tunnel shaft was destroyed by combat engineers. This significant discovery and successful operation mark a major blow to Hamas’s infrastructure and capabilities in the region. (YWN World Headquarters – NYC)