Terror Tunnel Hidden in Ancient Cistern Sealed Near Jerusalem

Security forces completed the sealing of an underground terror tunnel near the Seam Zone barrier and the communities of Givon and Givat Ze'ev, following a joint operation by Jerusalem Envelope Border Police from the Northern Battalion and IDF forces.

The tunnel, which posed a serious security threat to the area, was first located on August 28 following focused operational and intelligence activity by security forces, police announced Thursday.

Precise intelligence tracking and field operations quickly led to a breakthrough when forces arrested a key suspect involved in the digging operation. Digging tools used by the suspect and his accomplices were seized during the arrest. A thorough examination of the tunnel's route revealed it was not in preliminary stages, but rather in a highly advanced phase of engineering excavation, indicating the scope of investment and effort put into its construction beneath the surface.

Border Police outside Jerusalem (Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson)

Police in the terror tunnel (Photo: Israel Police Spokesperson)

As part of handling the site, security forces conducted a comprehensive archaeological investigation of the tunnel and its immediate surroundings. The archaeological findings shed light on the sophisticated method the diggers chose to hide their tracks: the tunnel entrance was carefully concealed inside an ancient, isolated water cistern, exploiting the historic structure and topography of the location to hide the diggers' movements, camouflage the removal of excavated earth, and prevent discovery by authorities and surveillance systems.

Following completion of all engineering and operational preparations in the field, Jerusalem Envelope Border Police forces from the Northern Battalion together with IDF units reached the concealed entrance and carried out a decisive operation that resulted in the tunnel being permanently and completely sealed. Security officials note that this incident joins a series of daily, intensive efforts designed to preemptively thwart any attempt to establish underground infrastructure or breach the Seam Zone barrier.

Security sources emphasize they will continue to operate with uncompromising determination, employing advanced technological and intelligence capabilities, with the goal of detecting and thwarting any similar threat in its earliest stages and maintaining the complete security of area residents and nearby communities.