Tunnels in Conflict

This chapter paints a panoramic and multifaceted picture of tunnel warfare across time and geography. It begins with World War I, which has marked history with powerful tunnel mining attacks, face-to-face underground combat, and the demonstration of how tunnel users improve their skills on the go. It proceeds to focus on underground combat through World War II, the Vietnam War, the wars in Afghanistan, the War in Syria, and cross-border tunnels in Egypt and Israel. It shows that underground warfare has evolved into a global phenomenon that is currently benefiting from strategic and technological tailwinds. Asymmetric conflicts, where the aerial and ground superiority of one party stands out, are particularly vulnerable to the spread of underground warfare.