Tunnels have been used in warfare for thousands of years. Jewish rebels used tunnels against Roman legions, while the Viet Cong used them against US troops in southeast Asia. In Gaza, tunnels have enabled the flow of essential supplies, such as food and medicine, into the strip, as well as weapons.
Trenches used by German, French, British and Australian troops during World War I provided an efficient way for soldiers to protect themselves against heavy firepower, and trench warfare was also used in the American Civil War during the Siege of Petersburg, and the Russo-Japanese War during the Siege of Port Arthur.
Tunnels can be used to undermine fortifications, to strengthen a defence by creating the possibility of ambush, and for counterattack and transferring troops out of sight of the enemy. They can be part of an extensive labyrinth.
