The military says the operation reduced the heavily fortified site to what commanders described as a “sandbox.” Much of the operation remains classified, but a day after massive explosions at the site — blasts that registered as a magnitude 4.1 seismic event in Lebanon — the military disclosed new details about the deception campaign that preceded the destruction of the underground complex on the strategic ridge.
Illustration showing the 36th Division’s operations on the Beaufort and Ali al-Taher ridges in recent months
(Video: IDF)
The military also released footage from underground passages it said were destroyed, along with video it said showed two Hezbollah terrorists being killed inside a shaft. Neither Hezbollah nor Iran had immediately responded publicly to the destruction, either through statements or attacks.
The operation lasted about four months. Israeli defense officials said commanders initially doubted whether troops could reach and take control of the fortified position. But through what the military described as an elaborate deception campaign against Hezbollah, combined with a series of classified operations whose details remain barred from publication, Israeli forces eventually managed to “open the door” to taking the ridge.
The military credited the persistence of Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and 36th Division commander Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin with pushing the operation forward. IDF officials said their operational and tactical determination helped persuade the General Staff and political leadership to approve the mission.
Drone footage from inside one of the underground tunnels
(Video: IDF)
The military said the operation was carried out without drawing Iran or Lebanon into a broader confrontation, at least so far. Israeli officials say that after the destruction of the ridge and Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs, the group has been left without strategic infrastructure of the same kind.
Golani Reconnaissance Unit troops began clearing the area before attacking the underground complex from the rear, catching Hezbollah by surprise. Israeli troops found bags and other belongings left behind by terrorists who had fled.
A graphic depicting all of the underground routes beneath the Beaufort and Ali Taher ridges
(Illustration: IDF)
The forces then began dealing with the underground infrastructure. Hezbollah fighters initially attempted to fight from underground positions but withdrew under mounting pressure.
Israeli forces then launched a direct assault on the Ali Taher ridge, the heart of Hezbollah’s command structure in the area. Troops seized what officials described as a unique weapon and other sensitive equipment, though the military did not disclose further details.
What followed on the ridge was an unusually complex commando operation involving units and resources from across the IDF, including intelligence, logistics and communications branches, with the operation closely monitored and assessed by the Northern Command chief.
For months, Israeli forces confronted dozens of Hezbollah terrorists entrenched underground who refused to abandon the complex.
Bodycam footage from a Yahalom combat engineering soldier inside one of the underground tunnels
(Video: IDF)
The Ali Taher ridge, heavily booby-trapped and equipped with observation systems, is exposed terrain that commands views of the surrounding area. Israeli forces advanced gradually and systematically, seeking to dismantle Hezbollah’s surveillance capabilities and traps one by one.
The military said it did not know the location of every underground shaft in advance. The rugged terrain was difficult to navigate and covered with massive rocks, forcing troops to build a more complete intelligence picture as the operation progressed.
The military estimates that about 50 Hezbollah terrorists were in the area and says the overwhelming majority were killed. Some attempted to escape under cover of fog as IDF forces advanced gradually, but the military said they were struck and their bodies were later found.
Despite previous reports, Israeli defense officials said they were not aware of any Iranian personnel being present in the underground complex.
IDF troops and Hezbollah terrorists engaged in close-range fighting during the operation, according to the military, which said Hezbollah fought fiercely to retain the infrastructure until its commanders realized the position was lost.
Footage showing the elimination of Hezbollah terrorists inside an underground tunnel shaft
(Video: IDF)
Hezbollah attempted to evacuate fighters and send reinforcements to the ridge. The IDF said it killed at least 10 terrorists who tried to reach the area to help those trapped there.
Hezbollah also tried to deliver supplies to operatives underground, ranging from operational equipment and food to items intended to boost morale, including chocolate, cigarettes and communications equipment.
Initially, IDF forces struggled to stop the deliveries because they had not yet identified the locations of the underground shafts. Hezbollah used drones to drop the packages.
Once troops identified the delivery points, however, they waited for terrorists to emerge from the shafts to collect the supplies and then attacked them, killing them.
One of the underground routes beneath Ali Taher ridge
(Photo: IDF)
The terrorists trapped underground remained in continuous communication with Hezbollah commanders. Israeli forces conveyed messages offering them an opportunity to emerge carrying a white flag, but they refused. Some terrorists eventually chose to flee despite orders from Hezbollah commanders.
In the final days of the operation, Hezbollah sought to play down the symbolic and strategic importance of the ridge as it became clear the terror group was losing control of it. The terrorists remaining there were increasingly isolated, while social media users in Lebanon began mocking Hezbollah over the loss of a strategic asset.
Defense officials said troops ultimately destroyed 5,410 meters, or about 3.4 miles, of underground passages using 1,100 metric tons, or about 1,210 U.S. tons, of explosives.
“Bringing such an enormous quantity of explosives into the area under the constant threat of attack drones required extraordinary courage from the Commando Brigade and the Yahalom combat engineering unit,” defense officials said.
“This was the most complex terrain we may have faced in all three years of the war,” they added. “We significantly improved security through the persistence of the forces, local initiatives and advanced combat techniques.”
Throughout the four-month operation, the IDF maintained strict operational and media secrecy, saying it sought to prevent Hezbollah from understanding what Israeli forces were doing and where they were positioned.
The military said Hezbollah at times fired blindly into the area in an attempt to locate Israeli troops.
The IDF demolishes the underground Hezbollah complex under Ali Taher Ridge
(Video: IDF)
Israeli forces remain on heightened alert following the destruction of the complex, but the military says it has seen no indication so far of imminent Iranian military action in response.
The IDF says the underground complex was completely destroyed and that Hezbollah’s ability to operate in southern Lebanon has been severely damaged. Israeli forces are now establishing new defensive lines that military officials describe as “more appropriate and stable.”
Before the ridge was destroyed, Norkin addressed the troops who took part in the operation.
“The Commando Brigade and Yahalom unit, together with forces from the Fire Brigade, Golani and the 7th Brigade, led one of the most complex operations we have ever carried out, under the command of Northern Command,” he said.
“We operated above and below ground, against threats both near and far, with determination and while carefully safeguarding our forces. Along the way, we faced obstacles and setbacks, but we continued striving to complete the mission — destroying the underground tunnels on the Ali Taher ridge and the enemy infrastructure in the area.”