Israel says it has destroyed underground Hezbollah base in Lebanon

Israeli military destroys underground Hezbollah base in southern Lebanon, eliminating terrorist infrastructure and preventing hostile forces from returning.

Operation in Ali al-Taher ridge uncovers Iranian-made rockets, missiles, drones, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, mines, and explosive devices in underground facilities.

Strategic importance of the ridge in southern Lebanon highlighted by its contested nature in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, with Israeli military continuing to operate in the security zone.

The Israeli military has destroyed underground positions belonging to the Iranian-backed Hezbollah militia in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz announced on Thursday.

The operation completes "the consolidation of the security zone in southern Lebanon," the ministers wrote in a joint statement on X. There was initially no confirmation from the Lebanese side.

A week ago, the military took control of the Ali al-Taher ridge, both above and below ground. According to Israeli media reports, Hezbollah fighters had been entrenched there for weeks, and the area had been the scene of repeated clashes.

The Israeli military said on Telegram that the military had destroyed the underground infrastructure in the area of the strategically important ridge, following extensive preparations.

It said Hezbollah's ability to use that infrastructure to plan and carry out terrorist attacks against Israeli civilians and soldiers had been permanently eliminated.

The mayor of the nearby town of Nabatieh, Abbas al-Din, said there had been an extremely powerful explosion near the ridge. The tremors had been felt throughout southern Lebanon and even in Beirut, some 70 kilometres away. Residents reportedly said it felt like a minor earthquake.

Netanyahu and Katz said the site was "strategic terror infrastructure" that had been built over two decades with Iranian funding. Soldiers would remain there to prevent hostile forces from returning, they said.

According to the Israeli army, the now-destroyed infrastructure extended over more than two kilometres. Inside the underground facilities, dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles and drones had been found, along with machine guns, anti-tank missiles and hundreds of mines and explosive devices.

The military said a command centre had been located within the underground infrastructure. The complex included weapons depots and living quarters that had allowed terrorists to remain underground for extended periods. The claims cannot be independently verified.

The Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh is considered strategically important due to its location, offering views across large parts of the region. The ridge is a contested area in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah and has been the focus of Israeli strikes in southern Lebanon in recent months.

For years, the area has been important operationally and as a sphere of influence for Hezbollah, making it a recurring flashpoint in the conflict with Israel.

The Israeli army added that soldiers would continue to operate in the security zone in southern Lebanon in order to destroy terrorist infrastructure in the area.

Despite a nominal ceasefire, Israel and Hezbollah repeatedly accuse each other of violations. The Israeli military remains deployed in southern Lebanon and carries out strikes on an almost daily basis.