Day 803 - Inside the most complex Hamas tunnel network in Gaza

11 snips

Dec 17, 2025

Emanuel Fabian, a senior military correspondent known for his insights on Israel and Gaza, delves into the intricate Hamas tunnel networks in Rafah. He describes the sophistication of these tunnels, which include hidden walls and multi-level designs. Fabian also highlights the recent escalation of violence with Hezbollah and the implications for Israel's military strategy. Additionally, he recounts a critical incident from 2024, shedding light on ongoing tensions in the region and the risks presented by the expanding tunnel network.

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INSIGHT

Escalating Strikes To Enforce The Ceasefire

Israeli strikes against Hezbollah have increased since October as enforcement of the ceasefire, not full-scale war.
Emanuel Fabian says strikes target training and infrastructure while Lebanon often fails to act fast enough.

INSIGHT

Diplomatic Mechanism Can Avert Immediate Strikes

Israel sometimes notifies the US-led mechanism before strikes and may call off strikes if the mechanism intervenes.
Fabian notes a rare case where Israel aborted a near-ready airstrike after the mechanism searched the site.

INSIGHT

Risk Of Limited Escalation, Not Full War

Israel warns it may take tougher action that could prompt Hezbollah responses and short skirmishes.
Fabian expects stepped-up attacks may continue while full-scale war is still not the likely immediate outcome.

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Welcome to The Times of Israel's Daily Briefing, your 20-minute audio update on what's happening in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world.

Military correspondent Emanuel Fabian joins host Amanda Borschel-Dan for today's episode.

Senior officials from the US, France and Saudi Arabia are set to meet in Paris today amid fears that Israel could embark on a new military operation against Hezbollah in Lebanon after a December 31 deadline to disarm the Iran-backed terror group passes, a diplomatic official told The Times of Israel on Tuesday. We have seen an uptick in tensions over the past few weeks. Fabian takes us back to early October to give context for what is currently happening on the ground.

In one of his first moves, new Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Itai Ofir decided today to close a criminal case against a senior reserves officer who was facing charges over his involvement in the circumstances that led to the deaths of a soldier and a civilian researcher in southern Lebanon in November 2024. Fabian was in the area when this occurred and fills us in.

Israeli settlers torched a vehicle and sprayed graffiti in a West Bank village near Ramallah overnight, according to Palestinian media. The suspected crime took place in Ein Yabrud. The conflict in the West Bank, always at a low boil, but are appearances deceiving in that it seems to be on a higher flame in the past several weeks?

After Palestinian media reported a series of Israeli airstrikes in eastern Gaza City, the IDF said it is conducting routine activity to demolish Hamas infrastructure in the Israeli-controlled area. In addition to the tunnel demolitions, there are almost daily incidents in which Gazans attempt to cross the Yellow Line from the Hamas-ruled side. Fabian gives several scenarios for the attempted crossings.

Earlier in the month, Fabian visited Hamas’s “most complex” tunnel network in the Gaza Strip, where, eventually, the remains of Lt. Hadar Goldin were recovered. He was killed and abducted by the terror group in 2014, and it transpires that he was held some two kilometers from the Israeli border.

Check out The Times of Israel's ongoing liveblog for more updates.

For further reading:

US, French, Saudi officials to meet in Paris about preventing renewed war in Lebanon

IDF postpones planned strike on alleged Hezbollah site as Lebanese army searches it

IDF drops charges against reserve officer over deadly Lebanon incident last year

Settlers said to torch vehicle, spray graffiti in attack on West Bank village

Scouring massive labyrinth under Rafah, IDF just missed finding Hadar Goldin’s body

Subscribe to The Times of Israel Daily Briefing on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you get your podcasts. This episode was produced by Podwaves.

IMAGE: An officer with the elite Yahalom unit is seen inside a tunnel in the Rafah area of the southern Gaza Strip, where the body of Lt. Hadar Goldin was held, December 8, 2025. (Emanuel Fabian/Times of Israel)

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