Israel seizes massive weapons complex below densely populated Gaza area

Israeli forces seized control of Hamas’s Bureij Battalion headquarters, revealing a substantial underground weapons manufacturing facility, marking it as the largest such site discovered since the onset of the conflict, as stated by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) on Monday night. Situated in the densely populated Bureij area in central Gaza, the complex, uncovered by the IDF’s 188th and Golani brigades, housed tunnel shafts reaching depths of approximately 30 meters.

Acting on precise intelligence, the soldiers exposed a terrorist stronghold engaged in the production of weapons. The underground facilities included sites for manufacturing long-range rockets, explosives, and precision enhancements for Hamas’s mortar shells, light weapons, and UAVs. During the operation, dozens of terrorists were neutralized.

In the discovered area, Israeli forces found components for long-range rockets capable of reaching northern Israel from the Gaza Strip, along with mortar shells, explosives, and ammunition. Some of the produced rockets had a range of 100 km. The IDF reported that the area was linked through underground tunnel shafts to a broader network facilitating the transportation of weapons to various Hamas battalions across Gaza.

Photographs and videos released by the military depicted rocket components, molds for manufacturing parts, an underground elevator shaft, and an assortment of weapons. Throughout the ongoing conflict, Hamas has indiscriminately launched thousands of rockets from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. Notably, Iran is known to provide support and expertise to assist Hamas in producing its own rockets.

On October 7, at least 1,200 people were killed in Hamas’s attacks on Israeli communities near the Gaza border. Currently, 129 individuals, including men, women, children, soldiers, and foreigners, are believed to be held captive in Gaza by Hamas. As Israeli authorities continue to identify bodies and search for human remains, others remain unaccounted for.