Interior Security Minister Gilad Erdan rejected accusations from the opposition that Prime Minister Netanyahu had launched the anti-tunnel operation on Tuesday to distract from his legal woes.
"In recent months, the IDF actually wanted to promote the launch of this operation, and because every time we really had a desire to restore quiet to the south, the discussions and decisions regarding this operation continued, until about a month ago," Erdan told Ynet. "I think that all the statements or cynicism about the timing of the operation are inappropriate and need to stop."