Israeli forces say they destroyed a large Hezbollah underground complex in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to demolish two tunnels stretching over 2 km beneath the Ali Taher Ridge. The explosion produced seismic activity measured by the US Geological Survey as equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released images showing a massive fireball over the ridge and said the demolished tunnels contained a command center used by Hezbollah’s Badr unit, along with dozens of rockets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-tank weapons, mines and explosives. The IDF stated that those inside the complex were either killed or fled and described the infrastructure as having been built over two decades with Iranian support.
Residents in nearby towns reported a dramatic blast and shaking. Ahamed, a resident of Nabatieh about 6 km west of the ridge, said the sky lit up and, after about 15 seconds, a deafening sound followed that felt like an earthquake. People fled toward Beirut, children cried, and cars filled the roads, he said. Tremors were reportedly felt as far as the coastal city of Saida, about 40 km north.
The IDF said the operation completes a mission to destroy eight tunnels and to establish what it calls a “security zone” in territory it captured after fighting with Hezbollah resumed in March. Israeli forces took control of the Ali Taher Ridge last week following months of combat with the Iran-backed group. Israel currently occupies portions of southern Lebanon, maintaining a presence that it says is intended to prevent attacks across the border.
There was no immediate response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government to the IDF’s announcement. State institutions in Lebanon have been largely silent on the specific strike, while the Lebanese army has increased deployments in areas outside Israeli control. Local television reported that the military has moved to bolster stability and reassure residents of southern towns such as Nabatieh in the wake of ongoing strikes.
The strike comes amid renewed fighting in southern Lebanon even after a period of decreased hostilities earlier this year. Lebanon was drawn into a wider regional conflict on 2 March, when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in response to an attack that reportedly killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel then launched a bombing campaign across Lebanon and sent ground forces into the south. The clashes have left sizable swaths of southern Lebanon contested or under Israeli occupation, which Israeli officials say amounts to roughly 5% of Lebanese territory.
A ceasefire brokered in June between Iran and the United States, along with a separate framework between Lebanon and Israel, had eased the intensity of the confrontation. That Lebanon-Israel framework envisions Hezbollah’s disarmament, a phased Israeli withdrawal from the south and deployment of the Lebanese army across border areas. Hezbollah has not been part of those talks and has publicly rejected direct negotiations, complicating implementation.
Despite the diplomatic steps, Israeli strikes and demolitions in southern Lebanon have continued intermittently. Lebanese media reported additional Israeli strikes on the same day in southern localities including Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Mansouri in the Tyre district. The ongoing violence has driven internal displacement and heightened civilian fears, with many residents leaving towns close to the border.
Human toll figures underscore the conflict’s heavy cost. Lebanon’s health ministry reports at least 4,362 deaths in the country since the fighting escalated, including 395 women and 259 children; its counts do not distinguish between civilians and combatants. Israeli authorities report casualties as well, saying 40 soldiers and four civilians have been killed on their side.
The IDF framed the demolition as a strategic blow to Hezbollah’s military capabilities, stressing that the underground system had been planned and financed over many years. Hezbollah, an Iran-backed militia and political force in Lebanon, has developed extensive military infrastructure in southern Lebanon over decades, and the existence of tunnels and subterranean complexes has been a longstanding security concern for Israel.
As tensions persist, the situation remains fragile. The Lebanese government has so far not issued a formal response to this specific strike, and Hezbollah has not publicly commented. With both diplomatic agreements and ground realities fragile, the prospect of further incidents in border areas continues to alarm civilians and regional actors alike.
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