
by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced the defeat of Hamas’ Rafah Brigade during his visit to troops stationed along the Egypt-Gaza Strip border, emphasizing the destruction of over 150 tunnels.
Minister Gallant carried out an operational assessment with senior IDF officials along the Philadelphi Corridor, receiving updates on the operations that resulted in the defeat of the Rafah division.
Gallant praised his troops, saying, “I came here to express great appreciation. The 162nd Division and its brigades fight like lions. The enemy’s Rafah Brigade was defeated by the 162nd Division.”
He directed the forces to focus in the coming period on completely destroying the remaining tunnels.
“Out of the 150 tunnels that were destroyed, around 100 are actually trenches dug with engineering tools above ground and then covered with a meter or two of dirt,” Gallant explained.
“I gave an immediate directive to the IDF to destroy the remaining tunnels. It is critical to remember the goals of the war and to achieve them – regarding Hamas, regarding the hostages held by Hamas, and we also understand why we are looking toward the north,” Gallant said.
The Philadelphi Route is a major sticking point in negotiations for a cease-fire or hostage deal with Hamas. Israel wants to maintain a military presence there, but both Hamas and Egypt are against this. Despite Israel’s willingness to reduce its troop numbers, Egypt is demanding a complete withdrawal and has refused to relay Israel’s stance on the matter to Hamas.
Approximately three months ago, the IDF declared it had taken operational control of the Philadelphi Corridor, identifying at that time 200 tunnel shafts and 35 tunnels, some extending into Egypt.
Copyright 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
The Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted a lower court injunction that had blocked the Trump administration from carrying out mass layoffs and sweeping structural changes across the federal government, allowing the president’s ambitious reorganization plan to move forward while litigation continues.
President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced a sweeping escalation in his global tariff policy, issuing formal letters to eight more countries warning that steep import duties will take effect on August 1 unless new trade agreements are reached. The move marks the latest salvo in Trump’s aggressive “America First” trade agenda, which he says is designed to correct decades of unfair trade practices and ballooning U.S. deficits.
Negotiations between Israel and Hamas are inching toward a potential 60-day ceasefire and hostage release deal, but a core dispute remains unresolved: the deployment of Israeli troops in Gaza throughout the truce period. While both sides agree that significant progress has been made, talks in Doha are intensifying over troop presence, humanitarian aid delivery, and the long-term status of the war.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed Wednesday that it has conducted a series of targeted ground operations in southern Lebanon aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military presence and preventing the Iran-backed terror group from re-establishing infrastructure near the border. The raids, described as “special, targeted operations,” were carried out over the past several days in response to repeated ceasefire violations by Hezbollah.
Despite a previously signed agreement by Christian leaders to avoid legal action, the governor of West Java has called for full prosecution of a violent June 27 mob attack on a Christian youth retreat, describing it as a “serious criminal matter” that must not go unpunished.
In a sweeping move to safeguard America’s agricultural integrity and national security, the Trump administration has unveiled a comprehensive action plan to ban Chinese ownership of U.S. farmland and root out foreign influence in the agricultural sector.
Ten people have been arrested so far in a “planned ambush” of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers in north Texas.