The tunnels are a major issue in the strained Hamas-Egyptian relations, with Hamas accused of using them to smuggle gunmen and weapons between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula. When he took office in June 2014, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi decided to carry out a military campaign targeting the tunnels and the lines of communication they offer armed cells. On April 6, Egypt announced a firm plan to destroy them.
Al-Monitor made a recent visit to the border area between Rafah and Sinai and witnessed a series of bombings conducted by the Egyptian army as part of its expansion of the buffer zone.