Ali Taher demolition ‘means Hezbollah lost an operating system’

The Israeli military has destroyed Hezbollah's underground command network on Ali al-Taher Ridge in Southern Lebanon, a strategic asset built over two decades with Iranian funding. This infrastructure, designed for observing and controlling fire over Metula and Kiryat Shmona, also served as a staging ground for a potential conquest of the Galilee. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Katz confirmed the demolition, stating it completes the establishment of a security zone in Southern Lebanon.

“The infrastructure was not just a series of passage tunnels, but an array that included control centers, storage facilities and living quarters.”

According to former IDF officer Col. (res.) Moshe Elad, this action provides Israel with significant leverage in negotiations, as it represents a "physical card, not just a diplomatic one." The destruction of this network, which functioned as a central command-and-control center for Hezbollah’s Badr territorial unit, significantly reduces Hezbollah's freedom of movement and its ability to rebuild underground capabilities in the sector. Hezbollah now faces a dilemma: risk an "image of defeat" or escalate, potentially leading to further destruction of its capabilities.