IDF Destroys Hezbollah's Underground 'Fortress' in Southern Lebanon

The Israeli military (IDF) released video footage on Friday, September 11, showcasing the destruction of a major underground complex belonging to the Hezbollah terrorist organization located near the Al-Tahir mountain ridge in southern Lebanon. The footage depicted the interior of the tunnels, weapons found within, preparations for demolition, and the subsequent large explosions. The IDF announced the completion of the infrastructure's destruction on the evening of September 10.

According to the army, the specific underground routes destroyed on September 10 spanned over two kilometers. However, Israeli media, citing military sources, reported that the entire system beneath the ridge comprised eight fortified underground routes totaling more than 5.4 kilometers. Over 1,100 tons of explosives were used to demolish these structures. The IDF described these facilities as some of Hezbollah's deepest and most strategically important underground sites in southern Lebanon, built over approximately 20 years with Iranian funding and technical assistance.

The complex housed the central command post for Hezbollah's "Badr" unit, responsible for a significant portion of southern Lebanon, including areas north of the Litani River. The tunnels contained operational headquarters, weapons storage, generators, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen, enabling militants to operate underground for extended periods and direct combat operations. The IDF characterized the complex as a "nerve center" for the Badr unit.

During the operation, dozens of rockets, Iranian-made drones (including attack drones), machine guns, anti-tank missiles, rocket-propelled grenades, and hundreds of mines and explosive devices were discovered in the underground facilities. The IDF claims Hezbollah used this complex to manage combat operations during previous conflicts, including "Arrows of the North" and "Lion's Roar," as well as the current confrontation.

The operation was carried out by the 36th Division, the "Commando" Brigade, and the "Yal" engineering unit. IDF spokesperson Brigadier General Effi Defrin stated that Israeli forces approached the area from an unexpected direction, crossing the Litani River, and then surrounded the underground complex for an extended period. Militants attempting to leave the tunnels or deliver supplies were attacked from the air and ground, with some eliminated in close combat. The IDF asserted that all militants within the system were either killed or fled.

The Al-Tahir ridge, approximately 600 meters high, overlooks the surrounding terrain and roads leading to the Nabatieh area. Hezbollah had positioned command facilities and heavy weaponry there due to its strategic importance. Last week, the IDF announced operational control over the area, both above and below ground, stating that the tunnel destruction marked a key phase in establishing control over the so-called security zone in southern Lebanon.

Lebanese sources contested some Israeli assessments. Al-Akhbar newspaper, close to Hezbollah, argued that the site was a system of interconnected structures rather than a single facility, implying that controlling parts did not equate to controlling the whole. Other Lebanese media reported that Hezbollah had ultimately abandoned its positions on the ridge. Hezbollah has not officially commented in detail on the loss of the complex. The magnitude of the simultaneous demolition was so significant that seismological services registered a 4.1 magnitude tremor in southern Lebanon on the evening of September 10.