"Israeli Troops Brace for Intense Underground Warfare in Gaza"

Israeli ground troops preparing for a potential ground offensive in Gaza are expected to face a vast network of Hamas tunnels, described as "a spider's web" and "Viet Cong times 10". The tunnels, running hundreds of kilometers long and up to 80 meters deep, serve various purposes including attacks, smuggling, storage, and operations. The United States believes that Israel's special forces will face a significant challenge in battling Hamas militants while avoiding casualties among hostages held underground. Despite Israel's investment in tunnel detection technology, Hamas is believed to still have functioning tunnels. The tunnel network provides Hamas with a means to bring in weapons, equipment, and people, as well as to counter Israel's military superiority.