Israel finds large tunnel near Gaza border close to major crossing

The Israeli military said Sunday it has discovered a large tunnel shaft in Gaza close to what was once a busy crossing into Israel, raising new questions about how Israeli surveillance missed such conspicuous preparations by Hamas for the militants' deadly Oct. 7 assault.

The entryway to the tunnel is just a few hundred meters from the heavily fortified Erez crossing and a nearby Israeli military base. It's the largest and longest tunnel Israeli forces have found so far, the Israeli military told CBS News.

The military said that it stretches for more than 2.5 miles, links up with a sprawling tunnel network across Gaza and is wide enough for cars to pass through. The army said Sunday that the tunnel facilitated the transit of vehicles, militants and supplies in preparation for the Oct. 7 attack. The tunnel, made from reinforced concrete and steel, was also used by Hamas militants to move hostages on Oct. 7, Israeli forces said.