IDF Completes Complex Operation to Dismantle Hezbollah's Ali Taher Ridge Infrastructure

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has concluded a complex four-month operation on the Ali Taher ridge, targeting Hezbollah's extensive underground and above-ground infrastructure, built with Iranian support. The operation involved a sophisticated ground maneuver, including crossing the Litani River, executed by the 36th Division in conjunction with the Commando Brigade and the Yahalom unit.

IDF forces employed a ruse and deception tactic to locate and neutralize Hezbollah cells attempting to delay the advance. According to reports, Hezbollah was surprised by the IDF's strategy and retreated northward, fearing further action. Those who remained, including terrorists in underground positions or on the periphery, were eliminated by ground and air fire.

The IDF's Technology and Logistics Directorate was commended for providing crucial support that enabled the ground maneuver and consolidation of forces. A senior officer revealed that troops battled dozens of Hezbollah operatives entrenched underground for three months, facing significant challenges on the ridge, which served as a large military outpost exposed to enemy intelligence gathering and explosives.

"We gradually peeled away all their intelligence and sabotage capabilities," the officer stated, noting that many Hezbollah fighters were found dead after IDF forces entered the underground network. He highlighted the bravery of the soldiers and commanders who handled hundreds of tons of explosives under constant threat to inflict heavy losses on Hezbollah and achieve complete operational control.

An Engineering Corps officer described the operation as the most complex in three years of war, involving the use of 1,100 tons of explosives to dismantle the above-ground structures and underground tunnels. This allowed IDF soldiers to enter the subterranean network, eliminate remaining enemy forces, and conduct a significant logistical operation. Extensive intelligence documents, equipment, and weaponry were recovered from the area.