Israel says it destroyed key Hezbollah tunnels in south Lebanon

Israel announced on Thursday that it had obliterated key tunnels constructed by Iran-backed Hezbollah beneath the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz released a joint statement, emphasizing that the destruction of this over two-decade-old tunnel network, funded and planned by Iran, completes their operational control over the ridge - both above and below ground.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) confirmed that Israel executed a massive explosion on the Ali al-Taher ridge in the Nabatieh region, resulting in significant tremors and a powerful rumble. AFP reporters in southern Lebanon also reported hearing substantial explosions on Thursday evening.

The Israeli military disclosed that the infrastructure stretched over 2km and housed dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles, and UAVs, alongside machine guns, numerous anti-tank missiles, and hundreds of mines and explosive devices. The underground complex also housed the command center of Hezbollah's Badr unit, according to a military official speaking to AFP.

Some militants who had operated in the area of the ridge reportedly abandoned it, while others were eliminated through aerial strikes and artillery fire. Israel had previously announced on a previous week that it had captured the Ali al-Taher ridge.

In March, Hezbollah's involvement in Lebanon led to a regional conflict in support of Iran. However, violence has significantly decreased since the agreement reached between Iran and the US in June, along with an understanding between Lebanon and Israel. During these negotiations, the US proposed that the Lebanese army take control of the Ali al-Taher ridge, but Hezbollah declined, as a source close to the parties informed AFP.

According to Beirut authorities, Israeli strikes have resulted in a total of over 4,300 deaths since March, and Israeli forces continue to occupy a so-called security zone in the south.