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Israel has demolished a major Hezbollah underground network beneath the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, saying the tunnels stretched for more than two kilometres and had been constructed over two decades with Iranian funding and planning.
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The Israeli military said the underground complex contained rockets, missiles, drones, anti-tank weapons, machine guns and hundreds of mines and explosive devices, as well as a command centre belonging to Hezbollah’s elite Badr unit.
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The massive controlled explosions were strong enough to produce a 4.1-magnitude tremor recorded in the area, while residents and journalists reported powerful blasts and ground-shaking across parts of southern Lebanon.
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The operation has further escalated tensions despite a US-brokered ceasefire and negotiations over Hezbollah’s disarmament, with Israel maintaining forces in a southern security zone and Lebanese authorities reporting more than 4,300 deaths since the conflict intensified in March.
September 11, (THEWILL) – Israel has demolished a major underground Hezbollah tunnel network beneath the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, with the controlled explosions triggering a 4.1-magnitude tremor in the area.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation completed Israel’s operational control of the strategically important ridge, both above and below ground.
“This is strategic terrorist infrastructure that was built over two decades, with Iranian funding and planning”, Netanyahu and Katz said in a joint statement.
The Israeli military said its forces had spent weeks clearing the underground complex of Hezbollah operatives before moving to destroy the infrastructure.
The operation on Thursday produced explosions that were heard across the region. Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency reported a “massive explosion” on the Ali al-Taher ridge in the Nabatieh region, saying it caused tremors and a powerful rumble.
The United States Geological Survey
The US geological survey subsequently recorded a 4.1-magnitude tremor in the area.
“We were sitting there and everything shook,” Joelle Fares, a resident who recently moved to Majayoun, said.
The Israeli military said the Hezbollah underground network extended for more than two kilometres, with the complex containing an extensive arsenal and military infrastructure.
According to the military, troops found dozens of Iranian-made rockets and missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, machine guns, dozens of anti-tank missiles and hundreds of mines and explosive devices inside the underground facility.
The complex also contained a command centre belonging to Hezbollah’s Badr unit, one of the group’s formations operating in southern Lebanon.
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Strategic Ridge
The destruction of the tunnels came days after Israel announced that it had seized operational control of the Ali al-Taher ridge, a strategically important highland overlooking large parts of the Nabatieh region.
The ridge is about 15 kilometres from the Israeli border and has emerged as one of the main flashpoints in the renewed Israel-Hezbollah conflict. Its elevation gives forces positioned there a commanding view of surrounding areas and provides access towards Hezbollah strongholds further north.
Israel has maintained that the ridge was being used by Hezbollah as a launch and logistical position and that its underground facilities posed a direct threat to communities in northern Israel.
Israeli authorities said some Hezbollah fighters operating from the tunnels abandoned their positions, while others were killed in Israeli airstrikes and artillery attacks.
The Israeli military subsequently moved to dismantle the underground infrastructure after securing the area.
Israel’s latest operation marks a significant escalation in its effort to establish and maintain what it calls a security zone in southern Lebanon.
Felix Ifijeh is a journalist with years of professional reporting experience. Known for his keen news sense, compelling storytelling and commitment to accurate, impactful reporting, he has built a reputation for turning leads into clear, engaging, and well-structured reports that resonate with readers. His work reflects deep newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate, impactful journalism.
