Israeli forces have discovered what they claim to be the largest weapons production site identified so far in the Gaza Strip, which includes underground workshops reportedly used to produce long-range rockets capable of hitting targets in northern Israel. The army stated that, in addition to rockets, the workshops produce modifications or versions of standard munitions such as mortar shells, which are connected through underground openings to a network of tunnels used for transporting weapons to combat units across the Gaza Strip.
On Monday, the Israeli army took a group of journalists to visit the site in the central area of Al-Bureij, which has been devastated by bombings and intense ground fighting for weeks. A variety of pipes, metal components, and shell casings were stacked in an above-ground workshop area, while in another area, long metal shelves visible held rockets with an elevator leading down to the tunnel.
Chief military spokesman Admiral Daniel Hagari stated, "... from the elevator, they place the rockets in a secure location and then lower them to other areas within the tunnel system." He added, "In one place, the rockets are made, and in another, they are launched."
Israeli officials claim that Hamas deliberately places military infrastructure, including tunnels, in civilian areas to make it more difficult to attack. Hamas denies this and asserts that Israel randomly targets civilian sites. According to Palestinian health officials, over 23,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Israeli operation, and most of the 2.3 million residents of the Gaza Strip have been forced to flee their homes to a small area in the south.
