The IDF’s 36th Division has concluded its months-long campaign in Khan Yunis in the southern Gaza Strip after destroying extensive Hamas tunnel routes, and is preparing for upcoming assignments, the military announced on Thursday.
Over the course of the operation, troops from the Golani, 188th, and 900th brigades worked to solidify control over the area and establish the Magen Oz corridor, a strategic route crossing the city from west to east.
The 282nd Brigade provided close fire support to ground forces with coordinated aerial and artillery strikes, resulting in the killing of hundreds of terrorists, including some who took part in the October 7 massacre and infiltrated Israeli territory.
In cooperation with troops from the Yahalom Unit, dozens of kilometers of Hamas’s underground tunnel networks were destroyed, including tunnels used as living quarters by the terrorist organization.
Soldiers also dismantled hundreds of terrorist infrastructure sites, including weapons depots and other assets belonging to terrorist groups operating in the Strip.
Recent IDF activity in Gaza
In recent weeks, the IDF has carried out extensive operations elsewhere in the Gaza Strip, particularly around Gaza City and Zeitoun.
Earlier this month, the army destroyed a Hamas tunnel shaft stretching hundreds of meters in Zeitoun, describing it as part of a broader underground network. At the same time, Israeli forces struck a number of high-rise buildings in Gaza City that, according to the military, were being used as observation posts and operational hubs by Hamas and other terror groups.
The IDF also reported the deaths of senior Hamas and Islamic Jihad terrorists through targeted strikes and coordinated ground activity.
Ahead of these operations, the military dropped leaflets and sent recorded warnings urging residents of Gaza City to evacuate. In parallel, preparations were made for a large-scale mobilization of reservists to reinforce ground operations.