Underground Warfare
Underground warfare is defined as fighting that occurs under the earth’s surface. Underground warfare can be used synonymously with subterranean or tunnel warfare.
John Spencer has conducted years of research, study, and scholarship into understanding underground environments and the history, lessons, and requirements of military operations during underground warfare.
John Spencer is a founding member of the International Working Group on Subterranean Warfare.
Underground WARFARE RELATED Works
Professional Articles
“This is the bunker-buster Israel needs from the US to quickly destroy Fordow,” The Jerusalem Post, June 19, 2025
“The Israeli Raid on Syria That Exposed the Weakness of Hardened Targets,” Mosaic Magazine, May 28, 2025
“As the Border Wall Goes Up, the Underground Threat Will Grow,” Washington Post, January 22, 2025
“Israel’s New Approach to Tunnels: A Paradigm Shift in Underground Warfare,” Modern War Institute, December 2, 2024
“Israel’s Campaign against Hezbollah and the fight for Southern Lebanon’s Tunnels,” Modern War Institute, October 2, 2024 (coauthored)
“Gaza’s Underground: Hamas’s Entire Politico-Military Strategy Rests on Its Tunnels,” Modern War Institute, January 18, 2024
“Underground Nightmare: Hamas Tunnels and the Wicked Problem Facing the IDF,” Modern War Institute, October 17, 2023
“War Books: Preparing for Underground Warfare,” Modern War Institute, February 12, 2020
“The Return of Tunnel Bombs: A Medieval Tactic on the Modern Battlefield,” Modern War Institute, December 30, 2019
“Facing Our Underground Nightmares: Casting Light On the Subterranean,” Army Magazine, August 20, 2019 (coauthored)
“My Underground Warfare Wish List,” Modern War Institute, February 19, 2019
“While the North Korean Nuclear Button Cools, The Threat of The Underground Lingers,” Modern War Institute, August 31, 2018 (coauthored)
“Cadets discuss subterranean environments with NYC firefighters,” The Pointer View, March 12, 2015
podcasTs (Urban Warfare Project Podcast)
#93 - “Drones and Urban Warfare in Ukraine,” March 20, 2026 (Russia’s use of gas tunnels)
#89 - “The Tunnels of Gaza,” October 24, 2025
#79 - “Underground Warfare 101,” September 27, 2024
#70 - “What Can the IDF Do about Hamas Tunnel,” October 20, 2023
#65 - “Defending Mariupol,” July 21, 2023
#35 - “Underground Warfare in Israel and Gaza,” May 28, 2021
#27 - “Beneath the Streets,” January 22, 2021
#6 - “When War Goes Underground,” April 3, 2020
Select InTerviews
“Israel Sees Major Progress in Destroying Gaza’s Tunnel Network,” Bloomberg, July 19, 2024
“Flood the Tunnels – Why Hamas Won’t Return All the Hostages,” Forbes Magazine, November 29, 2023
“The Tunnels of Gaza: How the subterranean maze below the Gaza Strip works.” New York Times, November 10, 2023
“Fighting Hamas inside Gaza's tunnels is like 'war in a phone booth,'” PBS News Hour, November 2, 2023
“In Gaza’s Tunnels, ‘You Lose Sense of Direction. You Can Freak Out.’” Forbes Magazine, November 2, 2023
“‘Sponge bombs’ are Israel’s new secret weapon to block Hamas tunnels,” The Telegraph, October 26, 2023
“What does Gaza’s underground tunnel network look like?” BBC, October 26, 2023
“Why the tunnels under Gaza pose a major problem for Israel’s potential ground invasion,” ABC News, October 18, 2023
“Could Russia storm Ukraine’s underground ‘fortress’?,” Forces News, May 10, 2022
“Kiev's huge tunnel system: "A full Russian siege is almost impossible,” Focus Online, March 23, 2022
“Why It [DARPA SubT Challenge] Matters,” DARPAtv, September 23, 2021
“A one on one special about Subterranean warfare with Maj. (Ret) John Spencer and CSM (Ret) Joe Vega,” International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT), February 26, 2020
“'The world doesn't realize the extent of the tunnel threat,'” Israel Hayom, December 31, 2019