Israel Claims Destruction of Major Underground Hezbollah Base in Lebanon

Israel’s military announced on Thursday that it has destroyed a significant underground complex operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, describing the operation as a major strategic victory. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported utilizing more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to collapse two tunnels spanning over 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) beneath the Ali Taher Ridge.

The massive detonation generated seismic activity equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. Residents in the nearby city of Nabatieh, located approximately 6 kilometers west of the ridge, reported feeling the blast and hearing a loud explosion shortly after the sky lit up with a fireball.

“The house shook all together as if it was literally an earthquake,” a resident named Ahamed told the BBC. He described scenes of panic, with people screaming and filling roads toward Beirut, while tremors were also detected in the coastal city of Saida, 40 kilometers north.

The IDF stated that the destroyed infrastructure housed a command center for Hezbollah’s Badr unit and contained dozens of rockets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-tank weapons, mines, and explosives. A military statement released on Telegram characterized the site as strategic infrastructure built over two decades with funding and planning from Iran. The military added that all operatives inside the facility were either killed or forced to flee.

This operation follows the takeover of the Ali Taher Ridge by Israeli forces last week after months of combat. The IDF described the latest action as the completion of a mission to eliminate eight tunnels and establish a “security zone” in the area. Despite the announcement, there was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government.

Lebanese media reported additional Israeli strikes in the south on Thursday, targeting areas such as Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Mansouri in the Tyre district. In response, the Lebanese army has increased deployments in areas outside Israeli control, including Nabatieh, to bolster stability, according to local television station MTV.

Lebanon was drawn into the broader conflict between Israel, the United States, and Iran on March 2, after Hezbollah launched rockets in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader. Israel subsequently launched a bombing campaign and invaded part of southern Lebanon, where its forces currently occupy roughly 5% of the country’s territory.

Fighting subsided following a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the US in June, alongside a separate framework between Lebanon and Israel. Under the terms of that deal, Hezbollah is expected to disarm, Israeli troops are to withdraw gradually, and the Lebanese army is to deploy across the south. However, Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations and has not been a signatory to the agreement. Israeli strikes and demolitions have continued despite the reduced intensity of hostilities.

The conflict has resulted in significant casualties. According to Lebanon’s health ministry, at least 4,362 people have been killed in Lebanon since the war began, including 395 women and 259 children; these figures do not distinguish between combatants and civilians. Israeli authorities report that 40 soldiers and four civilians have been killed.