IDF Spokesperson Tours Hezbollah Tunnel Network Destroyed in Southern Lebanon

The Israeli military released footage on Thursday showing its spokesperson, Brigadier General Avi Daffin, inside a Hezbollah tunnel network in southern Lebanon that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) recently destroyed. The IDF completed the demolition of the tunnel system on the Ali Taher ridge using approximately 1,100 tons of explosives, eliminating about 5.4 kilometers of underground passages used by Hezbollah.

Daffin stated that the network was built over two decades with funding and guidance from Iran, serving as a central command post and the "nerve center" for Hezbollah's elite Badr unit. From this complex, the unit managed fighting in southern Lebanon during various Israeli operations, including "Northern Arrow" and the current conflict.

He detailed the preceding operation, where IDF forces encircled the area for months, increasing pressure on militants entrenched within the tunnels. Hezbollah fighters attempting to exit or supply those inside were eliminated by air and ground strikes, while others trying to flee were intercepted and killed in close-quarters combat. "All the terrorists who were in the infrastructure were eliminated or fled," Daffin said, adding that Hezbollah "failed and even abandoned its men to die inside."

During the operation, forces discovered numerous weapons left behind by Hezbollah operatives, some manufactured in Iran, which Daffin presented as further proof of Hezbollah's role as an Iranian proxy. The destruction of the tunnels concluded a ground maneuver that involved deception, including forces from the 36th Division capturing the Beaufort ridge from an unexpected direction after crossing the Litani River.

Daffin acknowledged the heavy cost of the fighting, mentioning fallen soldiers and wishing a speedy recovery to the wounded, attributing the achievements to their sacrifice. He affirmed that the IDF would continue to defend northern Israeli communities and eliminate threats along all borders, mirroring the operation in southern Lebanon.