Israel says it destroyed Hezbollah base in Lebanon’s Ali al-Taher ridge

The Israeli military said it has dismantled underground Hezbollah infrastructure on the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, an operation officials described as reinforcing a so-called security zone. Government leaders Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz issued a joint statement saying Israeli forces would remain in the area to stop the Iran-aligned group from re-establishing positions and rebuilding military capabilities.

According to the military, troops had first gained "operational control" of the ridge, both above and below ground, and then proceeded to dismantle a tunnel network that it said stretched for more than 2 km. The Israel Defence Forces said the subterranean complex held dozens of rockets, missiles and drones as well as anti-tank weapons, mines and other explosive devices, and included a central command facility tied to Hezbollah’s Badr unit with command rooms, weapons storage and living quarters.

Lebanon’s National News Agency reported a powerful blast at the ridge, with tremors and the sound of the explosion felt across Nabatieh and nearby areas. Reuters has previously reported, citing unnamed Lebanese security sources, that Hezbollah built a command centre and weapons stores there in July. Hezbollah had not issued a response to the latest Israeli attack as of the reports.

The assault comes amid ongoing operations around the ridge despite a ceasefire reached in June, after Israel captured nearby Beaufort Castle and some of the higher ground overlooking southern Lebanon and northern Israel. A US-brokered framework tied to that ceasefire envisioned a gradual Israeli withdrawal alongside Lebanese troop efforts to disarm Hezbollah — a process that has not progressed because Hezbollah has refused to give up its weapons and Israel says it will not pull back until the group is disarmed. Iran reportedly warned the United States last month that it would respond forcefully if strikes on the ridge continued, highlighting the regional tensions surrounding the area.