The Yedioth Ahronoth daily reported yesterday that every soldier in these new units is equipped with a 'robot' capable of transmitting high-resolution video images from inside the tunnels, used by the Hamas movement in Gaza to smuggle weapons, food and medicines.   

 

The report said the Israeli army has established a training camp for this unit close to the town of Youkanaam in northern Israel.

 

“The coming war with Hamas and other militant movements will take place underground, so we have to develop our troops' performance in fighting in the tunnels which we consider the war of the future,” said an Israeli military official.

 

The official added that such tunnels have played an important role in every war Israel has fought over the past four years, but the army has so fair failed to do anything about them.

 

The head of the new unit, Major General Eidan, said that the Israeli army is doing everything it can to tackle its 'tunnel problem'.

 

“Fighting tunnels is not only in Gaza with Hamas -- Hezbollah is also using tunnels to fight Israel. We are training out troops to deal with both small and large tunnels that hold tens of Hezbollah and Hamas fighters,” Eidan added.