Israel has destroyed hundreds of homes along the Gaza–Egypt border to enlarge the buffer zone, asserting that they were used to hide smugglers' tunnels. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) maintain that this was done in order to prevent smuggling tunnels, and that incursions into Rafah and the destruction of tunnels and/or shafts under homes was the most effective means to close the tunnels down. An IDF spokeswoman has stated that in destroying tunnels, the IDF exercises "the utmost care to pinpoint the tunnels and do as little damage as possible".