bobby-hartono
The Israeli military has carried out the complete demolition of an extensive subterranean tunnel complex constructed by the Iran-backed group Hezbollah beneath the strategically critical Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. The sheer power of the coordinated underground blast produced a measurable seismic disturbance, registering as a magnitude 4.1 tremor across the surrounding border region as Israeli authorities declared total operational mastery over the sector.
The high-profile military operation was formally confirmed in a joint announcement issued by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu alongside Defence Minister Israel Katz. Both leaders characterized the subterranean installation as a vital piece of strategic militant infrastructure, emphasizing that the complex had been meticulously developed over more than twenty years relying directly on Iranian financial backing, engineering, and logistical planning.
According to the joint statement from the Israeli leadership, the total destruction of the underground fortification successfully completes the armed forces' campaign to establish comprehensive operational control over the Ali al-Taher ridge. Israeli officials stressed that this achievement solidifies their dominance over the strategic geography both above the surface and throughout the subterranean space beneath it.
The massive scale of the demolition was underscored by independent geological monitoring. The United States Geological Survey documented a 4.1-magnitude tremor originating in the immediate vicinity of the explosion, reflecting the enormous force generated when Israeli combat engineers detonated the heavily fortified underground network.
In Lebanon, official state media documented the immediate fallout of the operation. The state-run National News Agency reported that Israeli armed forces had detonated a massive explosion along the Ali al-Taher ridge situated within the Nabatieh district, noting that the blast generated powerful ground tremors and a deep, thunderous rumble that reverberated across several neighboring communities.
Reporters on the ground in southern Lebanon confirmed hearing multiple massive detonations during the evening hours as the demolition was executed. The intense shockwaves caused alarm among local populations, with area residents reporting that the shaking was felt distinctly inside residential buildings across the nearby countryside.
Among those affected by the sudden tremors was Joelle Fares, a resident who had recently relocated to the southern Lebanese town of Marjayoun. Describing the moment the subterranean complex was leveled, Fares recounted that residents were simply sitting in their homes when the violent shaking unexpectedly caused everything around them to tremble.
Following the blast, the Israeli military released specific operational details detailing the scope of the dismantled underground compound. Defense officials stated that the subterranean installation extended across a distance of more than two kilometers, or roughly 1.2 miles, honeycombing the interior of the ridge to allow militant forces to maneuver beneath the earth undetected.
The underground passageways served as a major logistics and weapons depot for militant operations. The Israeli army disclosed that troops uncovered a significant cache inside the complex, comprising dozens of Iranian-manufactured rockets, missiles, and unmanned aerial vehicles, alongside machine guns, dozens of anti-tank guided missiles, and hundreds of landmines and specialized explosive devices.
In addition to weapons storage, the extensive underground facility was utilized as an operational command post. The military confirmed that the compound housed a dedicated headquarters for Hezbollah's specialized "Badr" unit, representing a central command node for directing the group's regional military activities.
Addressing the presence of hostile operatives inside the sector, an Israeli military official told reporters that a portion of the militants assigned to the ridge had fled and abandoned their posts prior to the final assault. The official added that other combatants who remained within the area were neutralized through targeted aerial strikes and precision artillery fire.
The targeted destruction of the subterranean fortress follows an earlier announcement made by the Israeli military the preceding week, in which armed forces confirmed they had successfully captured the surface territory of the Ali al-Taher ridge, paving the way for the subsequent engineering demolition.
The confrontation at the ridge represents the latest chapter in a wider conflict that escalated sharply in March, when Hezbollah entered the regional war in direct support of its principal sponsor, Iran. That decision drew Lebanon deeper into the hostilities and triggered sustained cross-border military engagements with Israeli forces.
The conflict had previously experienced a temporary reduction in violence following diplomatic understandings reached between the United States and Iran in June, which were subsequently accompanied by an arrangement between Lebanese and Israeli authorities. However, that period of relative calm has fractured in recent days as aerial strikes and ground bombardments have sharply intensified.
Prior to the latest escalation, international mediators had sought a diplomatic formula to avert further combat around the ridge. A source close to the negotiating parties revealed that during US-sponsored talks, Washington proposed that the official Lebanese armed forces assume control of the Ali al-Taher ridge, but the proposal stalled after Hezbollah formally rejected the arrangement.
The sustained military campaign has exacted a devastating toll across the region. Officials in Beirut report that Israeli strikes have resulted in more than 4,300 deaths in Lebanon since the hostilities flared in March, as Israeli armed forces continue to maintain an active ground occupation within an established security zone along the southern border.
Comments (0)