Lebanon: IDF destroys Hezbollah tunnel network, consolidating security zone

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have completed the destruction of a vast Hezbollah underground network beneath the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southeastern Lebanon, according to a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday. This operation consolidates Israel's security zone along its northern border. The network, built over two decades with Iranian funding, was intended for Hezbollah's planned conquest of the Galilee and served as a command center with observation and fire control over northern Israeli communities. The IDF stated, "Their destruction completes the achievement of operational control over the Ali al-Taher Ridge, above and below ground." The underground system comprised eight routes totaling over 5,400 meters and contained numerous weapons, including explosive drones, machine guns, and anti-tank missiles. This follows the destruction of other Hezbollah underground routes in the Beaufort Ridge area.