Israel To Use ‘Sponge Bomb’ In Gaza
By Worthy News’ George Whitten and Stefan J. Bos
JERUSALEM (Worthy News)— Israel’s army has reportedly been testing new chemical devices to seal off gaps or tunnel entrances where fighters may be hiding ahead of a ground offensive into Gaza.
Known as the “sponge bombs,” the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) plan to use them when fighting through the network of Hamas tunnels under the Gaza Strip, several sources said.
The IDF did not command the use of the device, which creates an explosion of foam that rapidly expands and then hardens.
Israeli soldiers were seen deploying sponge bombs during exercises in 2021. The army has set up a mock tunnel system at the Tze’Elim army base near the border with Gaza, Britain’s The Telegraph newspaper reported.
Yet sources familiar with the developments have cautioned that a “sponge bomb” -technically a liquid emulsion – is hazardous to work with. Some Israeli soldiers reportedly lost their sight through mishandling the mixture.
Israel could also use robots and drones to help navigate the tunnels, but there have reportedly been difficulties operating these underground.
Specialized teams in the IDF’s engineering corps have been grouped into tunnel reconnaissance units equipped with ground and aerial sensors, ground penetrating radar, and unique drilling systems to locate tunnels.
SPECIAL VISION
They have also been issued special equipment to see when they go underground.
Experts have warned, however, that Israeli troops will likely face a bloody battle through the tunnels known as the “Gaza Metro” when they launch their expected ground invasion.
The network is thought to be hundreds of miles (kilometers) long and dense with explosives.
Hidden up to 100 feet (30 meters) below the surface, the intricate city of passages is full of dark twists. It turns, laden with traps and heavily reinforced with concrete, according to sources familiar with the situation.
The entrances are enclosed under the floors of homes, mosques, and schools – allowing the Hamas fighters to move unseen through Gaza and evade Israeli airstrikes.
This “spiderweb” is where “Hamas terrorists” dragged some 200 Israeli hostages as they retreated after their bloody cross-border rampage on October 7 that killed 1,400 people, according to Israel’s military.
Israel has accused Hamas of using the Palestinian population and hostages in Gaza as human shields.
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