IDF eliminates 5 terrorists in Rafah after extended pursuit

Commanders have assessed that dozens of Hamas terrorists are still underground in that section, unable to cross into Israeli-controlled territory.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

The IDF reported Tuesday that a Nahal Brigade unit located and killed five terrorists in eastern Rafah after they escaped an initial engagement on the Yellow Line.

The army said the incident began early in the morning, when observers and Golani fighters detected a group emerging from tunnel access points inside the area.

Air and ground fire was directed at the cell, but the suspects managed to disappear into nearby structures, prompting an extended search.

Troops spent roughly five hours sweeping the eastern Rafah corridor before tracking the fugitives and killing all five.

The pursuit unfolded while IDF forces continued broader searches aimed at clearing remaining tunnel networks on the Gaza side of the Yellow Line.

Commanders have assessed that dozens of Hamas terrorists are still underground in that section, unable to cross into Israeli-controlled territory.

The operation followed a separate incident on Friday in which two different groups — totaling about 17 terrorists — surfaced from tunnel shafts in the same sector.

According to the military, Israeli units conducted a full-day search that ended with 11 killed and six captured. Those taken alive surrendered and were later handed over to the Shin Bet for interrogation.

The IDF has spent the past month concentrating forces in the Rafah area to dismantle tunnel infrastructure that continues to serve as staging points for attempted infiltrations.

Armored units and engineering teams have worked along the perimeter to locate shafts and seal routes running toward the Yellow Line.

Recent military images show tanks deployed throughout the sector during these operations.

In northern Gaza, troops reported an additional incident involving a terrorist who crossed the Yellow Line and moved toward soldiers before being shot.

Similar encounters have taken place across Gaza in recent weeks, with armed terrorists attempting to breach zones under Israeli control or emerging unexpectedly from tunnel openings.

Israeli officials say these incidents highlight the continued threat posed by concealed tunnel systems, even as forces work methodically to eliminate access points and prevent further infiltration attempts.