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The Israeli military has carried out a major demolition operation to destroy a sprawling underground base belonging to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon, according to high-ranking Israeli officials. The extensive subterranean network was dismantled following deliberate preparations to neutralize cross-border security threats.
The announcement was made public on Thursday through a joint statement released on social media platform X by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz. Both leaders characterized the high-profile demolition as a vital milestone that formalizes and completes the consolidation of the security zone established by Israeli forces across southern Lebanon.
Official authorities on the Lebanese side did not immediately issue a formal statement or confirmation regarding the Israeli announcement. The operation underscores the persistent volatility along the border area, where tensions have remained acute despite ongoing international stabilization efforts.
The controlled destruction of the complex follows a decisive military push that took place roughly one week earlier, during which Israeli troops established operational control over the strategically elevated Ali al-Taher ridge. According to Israeli news reports, Hezbollah fighters had established fortified positions across the ridge for several weeks, turning the rugged landscape into the site of intense, recurring clashes between the two opposing forces.
In a corresponding operational update published on Telegram, the Israel Defense Forces detailed that the subterranean network was demolished after thorough, methodical preparations. Military spokespersons stated that the operation successfully and permanently stripped Hezbollah of its capability to utilize the vast underground facility to organize, stage, and launch hostile attacks against Israeli soldiers and civilian populations.
The sheer scale of the detonation triggered powerful reverberations across a vast geographical expanse. Abbas al-Din, the mayor of the adjacent southern Lebanese town of Nabatieh, confirmed that an exceptionally violent explosion occurred near the ridge during the operation.
According to regional accounts, the physical shockwaves caused by the blast rippled across the entirety of southern Lebanon and were felt as far north as the capital city of Beirut, situated approximately 70 kilometers away. Local inhabitants across affected municipalities reported that the intense ground tremors closely mimicked the physical sensations of a minor earthquake.
Israeli leadership underscored the long-term geopolitical significance of the targeted facility, with Netanyahu and Katz identifying the site as a strategic terror infrastructure hub. The ministers asserted that the subterranean fortress had been steadily constructed and expanded over a span of two decades relying on extensive Iranian financial and technical backing. They further stated that Israeli troops would maintain an active presence on the ground at the site to ensure hostile combatants are prevented from re-establishing a foothold in the area.
Military assessments shared by the Israeli army revealed that the subterranean fortifications extended across a length of more than two kilometers beneath the mountainous terrain. The elaborate underground complex was heavily fortified and fully equipped to maintain sustained military activities below the surface.
Upon breaching and inspecting the subterranean installation prior to its destruction, Israeli forces reported uncovering a massive cache of sophisticated armaments. The inventory inside the underground facility reportedly contained dozens of Iranian-manufactured rockets, guided missiles, unmanned aerial drones, heavy machine guns, and specialized anti-tank missile systems, alongside hundreds of landmines and diverse explosive contraptions.
In addition to weapons storage, the underground compound functioned as a comprehensive operational headquarters, housing an internal command center, dedicated munitions depots, and fully provisioned living quarters. Israeli defense officials noted that these amenities were specifically constructed to enable militant units to dwell beneath the ground for extended durations without needing to surface. Independent news organizations have not been able to independently verify the full scope of these military claims.
The Ali al-Taher ridge, situated near the regional hub of Nabatieh, commands critical strategic value due to its commanding elevation, which provides expansive visual and operational oversight across substantial portions of the surrounding landscape. Because of its dominant geography, the ridge has long remained a heavily contested battleground and has served as the focal point for numerous Israeli aerial and ground strikes in southern Lebanon over recent months.
For many years, the ridge functioned as an indispensable operational anchor and a primary sphere of political and military influence for Hezbollah. Its geographical advantages turned the highland into a persistent flashpoint throughout successive escalations between the Lebanese armed group and Israeli military forces.
The Israeli military affirmed that its forces intend to keep operating actively throughout the designated southern Lebanon security zone. Commanders emphasized that ongoing operations will persist as long as necessary to seek out, neutralize, and dismantle any remaining militant infrastructure that poses a threat to border integrity.
The latest operation unfolds against the backdrop of a fragile nominal ceasefire that continues to be severely tested by ongoing friction. Both Israel and Hezbollah routinely trade accusations concerning alleged violations of the truce agreement, while the Israeli military maintains a continuous troop deployment inside southern Lebanese territory and executes armed strikes on a near-daily basis.
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