Israel Hits "Terror Tunnels" to Stem Munitions Smuggling

Report by: Israela Yablonka, NTD Israel

An Israeli Defense Forces spokesman has announced that the Israeli Air Force has targeted a so-called "terror tunnel" in the north part of the Gaza Strip on Tuesday.

Such tunnels are used by militants to import arms and ammunition from Sinai into the Gaza Strip.

The spokesman added that the strike was carried out partly in response to rockets launched across the border into Israel.

The  announcement was made after fire was aimed yesterday at a unit of IDF soldiers on a daily operational reconnaissance mission along the border. Two armoureda vehicles were hit, though no casualties among the soldiers were reported.

Since the beginning of this year, a total of 265 rockets have been fired at Israel. The IDF spokesman also said that the Israeli army would not tolerate any attempts to harm Israeli citizens and IDF soldiers.

Munitions smuggled through the "terror tunnels" are stored in clandestine locations and used in attacks against Israeli settlements and the armed forces.

While the Israeli Air Force has been targeting these tunnels, they have been unable to stem the flow of munitions into the Strip.

Towns located within 40 kilometers of Israel's border with the Gaza Strip are targeted by rocket fire almost daily. Alarms sending the population into shelters have become routine.