Egypt destroys 20 newly found tunnels along border with Gaza

Cairo: The Egyptian military says it's destroyed 20 recently discovered underground tunnels along the border with the Gaza Strip.

The army says the tunnels were found and destroyed in November. The announcement came on its official Facebook page on Monday. There were no further details.

Israel and Egypt have maintained a blockade of the Palestinian coastal territory since the Islamic militant group Hamas seized Gaza in 2007.

For years, Egypt tolerated a smuggling industry that allowed hundreds of tunnels to bring in goods like cigarettes and spare parts, as well as weapons, into the strip.

After a major attack last year, the military began clearing a buffer zone along the border in an attempt to stamp out the cross-border network of tunnels that Hamas considers a lifeline.