The battlegroup of the 7th brigade, along with engineering forces, operated in a strategic area in Khan Yunis, established by Hamas in the heart of a residential neighborhood and near two schools, the IDF Spokesperson Unit reported on Tuesday.
During their advance, terrorists fired at the soldiers in order to prevent their entry into the area. In parallel, the terrorists blew up tunnel shafts in an attempt to block the forces from penetrating underground.
The forces were attacked by a large number of terrorists, returning fire and eliminating the terrorists at close range, with, among others, machine gun fire and tank shelling, the IDF continued.
Largest rocket factory to be found in Gaza Strip
The combatants located many shafts that led to a long tunnel route of approximately a kilometer and a half. In it, were a laboratory and a lathe for rocket production.
This is the largest lathe that has been located so far in the southern Gaza Strip, as per the IDF.
The underground tunnel was scanned and destroyed, the statement continued.
Earlier on Tuesday, the IDF reported that over the last few days, IDF reservists of Battalion 630 of the Southern Brigade of the Gaza Division completed an operation on the outskirts of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, which included the destruction of terror shafts.
Destroying terror infrastructure
The fighters of the battalion worked together with engineering teams to locate and destroy terror shafts and underground infrastructure.
According to the IDF, the combatants destroyed dozens of Hamas terror infrastructures on the edge of northern Khan Yunis.
In addition, as part of the offensive, fighters from the 261st Brigade operated to destroy military infrastructure.
During the military operation, rocket-propelled grenades were fired at the forces, causing the collapse of a building. 21 soldiers were killed in the incident, and several others were wounded, the IDF said.
