Israeli forces are currently operating on the Ali Tahar ridge south of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, where Hezbollah spent about 20 years building a fortified underground command site. Israeli estimates say the complex may also contain Iranian-made ballistic missiles, and that 30 to 40 Hezbollah operatives are inside while IDF troops control the ground above it. Because of the ceasefire, the army has not entered the tunnels.
The underground site, in the Beaufort and Ali al-Tahir area near the village of Tebnin, has become one of the main fighting focal points in southern Lebanon. The IDF sees destroying the complex as its main objective there, but for now it is holding back from entering the tunnel network.
Security officials are now considering allowing the Lebanese Army to take control of the Hezbollah tunnel compound. According to a Channel 12 report, the idea has been discussed in recent days at political and military levels and could come up again in the next negotiation round on Tuesday. Israeli officials believe such a handover could test whether the Lebanese Army has the capability and willingness to act openly against Hezbollah. One Israeli source said it could be “a benchmark for the ability and motivation of the Lebanese Army to deal publicly and in a precedent-setting way with Hezbollah.”
Officials also noted that in the past the Lebanese Army struggled to confront the group, whether because of limited capabilities or lack of will. Separately, the IDF has frozen the operation on political instructions, seeking not to disrupt talks between the United States and Iran in Switzerland. Israeli security officials say they are waiting for decisions and that the trapped militants do not pose an immediate threat. IDF Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said in recent days that the IDF presence on the yellow line removed the raid threat, and that withdrawing would bring back the threat to border communities.
