ISRAEL'S MILITARY CLAIMS DESTRUCTION OF HEZBOLLAH TUNNEL COMPLEX
Israel’s military says it has destroyed a large underground complex operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The IDF fired more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives into a system of tunnels that stretched over 2km beneath the Ali Taher Ridge, triggering seismic activity equivalent to a 4.1‑meter quake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The blast crushed a command centre that the IDF described as strategic, built over two decades and funded by Iran. The facility reportedly stored dozens of rockets, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles alongside anti‑tank weapons, mines and explosives.
Residents of Nabatieh, about 6km west of the ridge, reported the sky lighting up and a terrifying boom that felt like an earthquake. They heard the tremors and saw people evacuating in cars toward Beirut. The shaking was felt as far north as Saida.
The IDF said the destruction of the complex completed a mission to destroy eight tunnels and establish a “security zone.” It added that all of the “terrorists” inside the infrastructure were eliminated or fled.
The strike comes amid renewed fighting in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces continue to occupy roughly 5% of Lebanese territory, while the Lebanese army is increasing deployments outside Israeli control, including in Nabatieh.
Since the conflict began in March 2026, the Lebanese health ministry reports at least 4,383 casualties—including 395 women and 259 children—though the figures are not split between combatants and civilians. Israeli authorities say 40 Israeli soldiers and four civilians were killed in the same period.
Additional reporting by Raffi Berg in London and Samantha Granville and Ghaith Solh in Beirut
