Israel says destroyed key Hezbollah tunnels in south Lebanon

Israel said Thursday it had demolished key tunnels built by the Iran-backed Hezbollah group beneath the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported a "massive explosion" on the ridge in the Nabatieh region, and AFP journalists in south Lebanon said they heard "huge explosions" that evening.

What did Israel destroy in south Lebanon?

Israel destroyed an underground tunnel network built by Hezbollah beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge, describing it as strategic terrorist infrastructure built over two decades with Iranian funding.

The site held rockets, missiles, drones and a Hezbollah command centre. Israel says the operation completes its control over the ridge, both above and below ground.

What did Israeli officials say about the tunnels?

"This is strategic terrorist infrastructure that was built over two decades, with Iranian funding and planning," said a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

The statement added that the destruction "completes the achievement of operational control over the Ali al-Taher ridge, above and below ground." The Israeli army said the infrastructure extended for more than two kilometers (1.2 miles).

What was found inside the tunnel network?

The army said the underground compound contained dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles and drones, along with machine guns, dozens of anti-tank missiles, and hundreds of mines and explosive devices. It also housed a command center belonging to Hezbollah's "Badr" unit.

A military official told AFP that some militants who had operated in the area abandoned it, while others were "eliminated by aerial strikes and artillery fire."

How does this fit into the wider Israel-Hezbollah conflict?

Israel announced last week that it had captured the Ali al-Taher ridge. Hezbollah dragged Lebanon into a regional war in support of Iran in March, though violence has eased since the June understanding between Iran and the United States, alongside a separate agreement between Lebanon and Israel. During the negotiations, the United States, which sponsored the talks, proposed that the Lebanese army take control of the Ali al-Taher ridge, but Hezbollah refused, a source close to the parties told AFP.

Beirut authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 4,300 people in total since March, and Israeli forces continue to occupy a so-called "security zone" in the south.