Ali al-Taher Tunnel Strike
Israel destroyed a Hezbollah underground tunnel network beneath the Ali al-Tahir heights in southern Lebanon, using more than 1,100 tons of explosives in an operation the Israeli army said targeted subterranean infrastructure intended to carry out attacks against Israel.
Left out by 8 of 10who reported it
Israel used more than 1,100 tonnes of explosives. Reported by Al Jazeera and BBC.
“using more than 1,100 tons of explosives”
Akaz
The Israeli army said the network stretched for more than two kilometers and included dozens of Iranian-made missiles, shells, and drones, along with machine guns, anti-tank missiles, hundreds of mines and explosive devices, and a command center belonging to Hezbollah’s “Badar” unit.
The blasts triggered a magnitude-4.1 earthquake in southern Lebanon, with the American Geological Survey reporting the tremor after the explosions.
In a joint statement, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the operation would consolidate Israel’s so-called security zone, and that Israeli forces would remain in the area to prevent Hezbollah from re-establishing itself.
The BBC reported that Israeli forces took control of the ridge last week after months of fighting, and that the IDF said the underground infrastructure included a command centre used by Hezbollah’s Badr unit.B
Netanyahu, Katz, and Local Accounts
In the Al Jazeera account of the Israeli strike, the Ali al-Taher ridge is described as a contested area about 15 km (10 miles) from the Israeli border, where Israeli forces said they established “operational control” over the ridge both above and below ground before dismantling the infrastructure.A
The BBC quoted resident Ahamed in Nabatieh, about 6km west of the ridge, saying, “The sky lit up and about 15 seconds later we heard the terrifying sound,” as the house shook and people left for Beirut.B
Al Jazeera reported that tremors and the sound of the explosion were felt across Nabatieh and surrounding areas in southern Lebanon, with Lebanon’s National News Agency describing the blast at the ridge.A
The Israeli military said its forces would remain in the area to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding, while Hezbollah had yet to respond to the recent Israeli attack, according to Al Jazeera.A
The BBC added that there was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government after the destruction of the underground complex.B
Security Zone and Wider War
Israel’s stated aim for the Ali al-Taher operation was to complete what it described as the establishment of a security zone in southern Lebanon, with Netanyahu and Katz saying the army would remain there and continue destroying infrastructure to thwart any attempt by Hezbollah to restore its capabilities.
“the IDF has no intention of withdrawing from areas Israel holds”
Haaretz
Haaretz reported that after Thursday’s strike, Israeli military officials reiterated that the IDF has no intention of withdrawing from areas Israel holds in southern Lebanon, framing withdrawal as a matter for ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
The BBC said Lebanon was drawn into the war on 2 March when Hezbollah launched rockets into Israel in retaliation for a strike that killed Iran’s supreme leader, and it reported that Israeli forces continue to occupy roughly 5% of Lebanese territory.B
The BBC also cited the UN’s displacement figure, saying the UN says about 330,000 people in Lebanon remain displaced by the conflict, with Israeli military activity, air strikes, destruction and restrictions on returning preventing many from going home.B
France 24 reported that Beirut authorities say Israeli strikes have killed more than 4,300 people in total since March, while Israeli forces continue to occupy a so-called “security zone” in the south.