IDF Spokesperson Enters Hezbollah's Destroyed Lebanon Tunnel Network

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has completed the operational control and destruction of Hezbollah's underground tunnel network on the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. IDF Spokesperson Brigadier General Alon Haim entered the network after its demolition, stating that all terrorists within the infrastructure were either eliminated or fled. He asserted that Hezbollah failed in its vow to defend the facility at all costs, abandoning its operatives to die inside.

The tunnel system, built over two decades with funding and guidance from Iran, served as a central command complex and the "nerve center" for Hezbollah's Badr unit in the region. It was used to manage combat operations in southern Lebanon during previous and current conflicts. The IDF's ground operation involved a ruse, with forces from the 36th Division unexpectedly capturing the Beaufort ridge after crossing the Litani River.

Following the capture, commando forces and the Yahalom engineering unit cleared and prepared the tunnels for destruction. Simultaneously, IDF forces encircled the area, applying continuous pressure on the entrenched terrorists. Those attempting to exit or supply the besieged militants were eliminated by air and ground strikes, while others trying to escape were ambushed and killed in close-quarters combat.

During the clearing of the tunnels, which spanned 5.4 kilometers and included 8 separate tunnels, numerous weapons were discovered, including those manufactured in Iran. Haim presented these findings as further proof of the direct link between Tehran and the terrorist organization, calling Hezbollah an "arm of the Iranian terror regime."

Haim acknowledged the heavy price paid by Israeli forces in capturing and clearing the ridge, honoring the fallen soldiers. He concluded by emphasizing the IDF's commitment to defending Israeli communities and neutralizing all threats along all borders, acting as a barrier between threats and Israeli citizens.