Tipsheet

The Weapon Israel Plans to Use in Dealing With Hamas' Terror Tunnels

Matt Vespa
Matt Vespa  |  November 03, 2023 9:45 PM

Hamas terrorists remain hiding in their tunnels. Some have ambushed approaching Israeli soldiers, but they’re essentially trapped. It’s been this way since the start of the ground operation. They can’t retreat because Israeli air assets could pick them off. Egypt has kept its border shut due to terrorism concerns; they don’t want Hamas on their soil. 

Hamas’ 17-year stranglehold on Gaza allowed them to build this little army estimated at 40,000 terrorists and the infrastructure to protect them. However, bomb shelters for the people weren’t part of the plan—an intentional oversight not lost, even with some Arab commentators. 

The terror group’s tunnel network is extensive and will take time to clear. The IDF has multiple posts about what lies beneath many of the so-called civilian buildings in places like Gaza City. Urban warfare, counterinsurgency, and anti-terrorism are always operations whose timetables are indeterminable. Yet, to help speed up that process, the IDF has this foam bomb, which acts like a Liquid Plumber of sorts for terrorists. It’s an effective countermeasure, but there are risks regarding its deployment, not least being that these tunnels are loaded with booby traps. Some mishaps have blinded IDF soldiers due to the chemicals involved (via Telegraph): 


Israel will use novel “sponge bombs” as it fights through the network of Hamas tunnels under Gaza. 

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has been testing the chemical bombs, which contain no explosives but are used to seal off gaps or tunnel entrances from which fighters may emerge. 

The IDF has not commented on the use of the so-called “sponge bombs”, which create a sudden explosion of foam that rapidly expands and then hardens. 

Its soldiers were seen deploying the devices during exercises in 2021. The army has set up a mock tunnel system at the Tze’Elim army base near the border with Gaza. 

Troops are likely to face a bloody battle through the tunnels known as the “Gaza Metro” when they launch their expected ground invasion. The network is thought to be hundreds of miles long and dense with traps. 

It is where Hamas has taken many of the 200 hostages and where its leaders will hope to survive the coming war.  

Specialised teams in the IDF’s engineering corps have been grouped into tunnel reconnaissance units and equipped with ground and aerial sensors, ground penetrating radar and special drilling systems to locate tunnels. 

They have also been issued with special equipment to see when underground. 

Standard issue night vision goggles need an element of ambient light to work effectively, but with all natural light blocked out when moving underground, troops will rely on thermal technology to see in the total darkness. 

There are potential complications with the underground arsenal, however. The “sponge bomb” - technically a liquid emulsion - is hazardous to work with, and some Israeli soldiers have lost their sight through mishandling the mixture. 

Israel may also use robots and drones to help when navigating the tunnels - but so far, there have been difficulties operating these underground. 

And then, there's the old-fashioned way of dealing with these tunnels:

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Calls for ceasefires have popped up everywhere, even with the Biden administration, though they call it a humanitarian pause. Israel said they wouldn’t consider such an action unless Hamas releases hostages, which they won’t. So, why are we playing these games? These are terrorists. They lie. Keep stacking their bodies and move on until every one of them is dead.