IDF Completes Destruction of 11 km Hamas Tunnel Network in Beit Hanoun, Northern Gaza

Israeli military engineers announced on May 26, 2026 the completion of a major operation in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, destroying approximately 11 kilometers of Hamas tunnel routes. The operation was part of Israel's sustained infrastructure degradation campaign aimed at preventing Hamas from using the tunnel system for troop movement, weapons storage, and command and control. The tunnels in Beit Hanoun connected to the northern Gaza network that had been used extensively during the October 2023–October 2025 combat phase. IDF engineers employed a combination of explosive charges and controlled flooding to collapse the tunnels. The operation was announced simultaneously with the Rimal strike on Hamas military chief Odeh, illustrating the multi-pronged nature of Israel's continuing military pressure despite the October 2025 ceasefire. Hamas has claimed its tunnel network extends over 500km across Gaza, though the IDF estimates it has destroyed over 300km of tunnels since October 2023.