Defense Minister Israel Katz said Thursday evening, after a situation assessment, that 83% of the tunnels in the designated 'yellow line' area of the Gaza Strip have been destroyed. The figure aligns with an IDF confirmation issued shortly before Katz's statement.
Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed Thursday evening that 83% of the tunnels in the Gaza Strip's 'yellow line' security zone have been destroyed, following a situation assessment. The IDF later issued a statement confirming the minister's figure, as The Zioneer reported at 19:48 Jerusalem.
The figure was first reported by the IDF earlier Thursday evening (19:48 Jerusalem) in an announcement that 83% of tunnels in the designated area were destroyed. Katz then stated the same metric after a military assessment. The IDF subsequently confirmed the minister's statement, completing a cycle of cross-corroboration between the military and the political echelon.
The tunnel destruction is part of a broader Israeli campaign in Gaza that has seen territorial control expand significantly. As The Zioneer reported on Wednesday, Intelligence Minister Eli Cohen said Israel now holds nearly 70% of the Gaza Strip, up from 53% two months ago. Prime Minister Netanyahu previously stated 60% control and expected to reach 70%, as reported on June 7.
The remaining 17% of tunnels in the yellow line area have not been addressed in the statements. The military's timeline for their destruction and the impact on Hamas's underground infrastructure remain unspecified.
4 developments
- DevelopingKatz: IDF thwarting Hezbollah tunnels, destroying terror infrastructure near Lebanon border fence
- StrongKatz: All IDF gains in the Lebanon campaign preserved; forces operate from the Yellow Line inward
- DevelopingMinister Eli Cohen: IDF now holds nearly 70% of Gaza Strip, will reach 100%
- DevelopingNetanyahu: IDF eliminated 90% of Hezbollah's pre-war 150,000 rockets and missiles
Source and signal
- Internal intake