Israel has developed “sponge bombs” to combat the tunnel network used by Hamas. These bombs create a quick explosion of foam that rapidly expands and hardens to seal off tunnel entrances. The conflict in Gaza had been ongoing for 21 days as of that Friday, following a surprise attack on Israel by the Palestinian militant group Hamas on October 7. The attack on Gaza resulted in approximately 1,400 casualties.
The Israeli military advanced further into Gaza on Friday, preparing for a potential ground offensive against Hamas. However, a significant challenge for Israeli troops is the extensive tunnel network used by Hamas, where the group is reported to have taken numerous hostages. These tunnels come in various types, some stretching for hundreds of kilometers and descending up to 80 meters deep beneath the 360-square-kilometer coastal strip and its surrounding borders.
To counter Hamas’s tunnel network, Israel has developed “sponge bombs” – explosive devices that generate a sudden release of foam, which rapidly expands and solidifies. The country has been conducting tests with these grenades to block tunnel entrances that Hamas employs for its activities, as reported by The Telegraph.
“Sponge Bombs” are devices that, according to reports, consist of a protective plastic casing containing two separate liquids separated by a metal barrier. When these devices are activated, the liquids combine and move toward their intended target. During training exercises in a simulated tunnel system near the Gaza border in 2021, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) were observed using these devices.
Yahalom, an elite commando group from Israel’s Combat Engineering Corps, often referred to as the “weasels,” specializes in underground operations. They excel in detecting, clearing, and destroying tunnels.
Hamas reportedly started digging tunnels in the mid-1990s. The process only got easier post Hamas winning power in the 2006 election.
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