How Israel won the war

Israel’s military achievements in the last 11 days outstripped those that came before in Gaza. Its main objective was to destroy Hamas’s network of tunnels, nicknamed ‘the Metro’, which the terror organization had been developing since the 2014 war. More than 60 miles of the Metro were obliterated; not the majority but a significant portion. Intentionally located close to hospitals, schools and other buildings, the tunnels cost at least $50 million to build, absorbing much of the building materials sent into the Strip for civilian use. Beginning with isolated digs that functioned mainly as hiding places, the tunnels gradually developed into a vast subterranean world used to house arsenals, plan operations, train militants and move about undetected. The loss of a significant portion of the ‘Metro’ has deeply hurt the terror group. This week, a raid by 18 Hamas fighters was foiled after they were targeted under the ground. Towards the start of the conflict, two militants were buried alive after Israel bombed their exit routes. And last week’s abject humiliation, in which Israel lured Hamas into the tunnels by spreading fake news about a ground offensive before bombing them, will be remembered for a very long time. Intelligence sources report that factions inside Hamas are already grumbling about the reckless decision to invite so much destruction upon Gaza. The years leading up to the war were generally characterized by calm, with Israel investing heavily in infrastructure in the Strip. All this now lies in ruins.
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