Israel Demolishes Hezbollah Tunnel Network in Southern Lebanon

The Al Jazeera report describes a large Israeli demolition operation targeting alleged Hezbollah tunnels beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. According to Israeli forces, more than 1,100 tonnes of explosives were used to destroy the underground structures. The resulting blasts were powerful enough to be recorded as a magnitude-4.1 tremor, highlighting the scale of the operation and its potential impact on the surrounding area. The report is presented by Al Jazeera correspondent Zeina Khodr from southern Lebanon. It focuses on the physical force of the explosions and the Israeli military’s stated justification for carrying them out, namely the alleged presence of Hezbollah tunnel infrastructure beneath the ridge. The article does not provide an independent assessment of the tunnels, details about possible casualties or damage to nearby communities, or a response from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities. The report was published on September 11, 2026, and is framed as a news video explaining the blasts and their connection to Israel’s military activity in Lebanon. Its concise wording emphasizes the amount of explosives used, the location of the operation, the alleged Hezbollah connection, and the seismic measurement generated by the explosions. The item informs viewers about a significant Israeli attack and its reported effects without offering broader political or military context.

The article reports that Israel says it has destroyed Hezbollah’s underground military infrastructure beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. According to the Israeli military, its forces established operational control of the ridge above and below ground before dismantling a network extending more than 2km. Israel says the facilities contained command centres, weapons storage areas, living quarters, dozens of rockets, missiles and drones, as well as anti-tank missiles, mines and explosives. It also identified a central command complex belonging to Hezbollah’s Badr unit. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in the area to prevent Hezbollah, an Iran-aligned group, from rebuilding its presence and military capabilities. The ridge is approximately 15km from the Israeli border and has become a strategically important and heavily contested location in the conflict. Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that a powerful Israeli blast at the site caused tremors and was heard across Nabatieh and surrounding areas. Hezbollah had not responded to the latest attack when the article was published. The strikes and ground operations continued despite a June ceasefire. A US-brokered framework called for Israel to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon while Lebanese forces disarmed Hezbollah, but implementation has stalled. Hezbollah has refused to surrender its weapons, while Israel says it will not withdraw until the group is disarmed. The article places the latest operation within Israel’s broader effort since 2023 to control strategic positions in southern Lebanon and establish what it describes as a security or buffer zone. It also notes that Iran reportedly warned the United States that it would respond forcefully if Israeli attacks on the ridge continued.

Israel’s military says it has destroyed a major underground Hezbollah complex beneath the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. According to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), the operation used more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to demolish two tunnels extending over 2km. The resulting blast generated seismic activity equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey, and tremors were reportedly felt as far away as Saida, about 40km north. Residents near Nabatieh described a large fireball, intense shaking, panic and people fleeing toward Beirut. There was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government. The IDF said the underground facility included a command centre for Hezbollah’s Badr unit and stored rockets, missiles, unmanned aerial vehicles, anti-tank weapons, mines and explosives. It characterized the complex as strategic infrastructure built over two decades with Iranian funding and planning, and said that militants inside had either been killed or escaped. Israel said the demolition completed a mission to destroy eight tunnels and create a security zone near the border. The operation occurred amid renewed fighting in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces have expanded operations against Hezbollah and continue to occupy what Israel describes as a security zone, amounting to roughly 5% of Lebanese territory. Lebanese media reported additional Israeli strikes, while the Lebanese army increased its deployments in areas outside Israeli control. Although fighting declined after June ceasefire arrangements involving Iran, the US, Lebanon and Israel, strikes and demolitions have continued. The UN estimates that approximately 330,000 people remain displaced in Lebanon. Under the Lebanon-Israel framework, Hezbollah is expected to disarm, Israel is expected to withdraw gradually, and the Lebanese army is to deploy throughout the area. Hezbollah has rejected direct negotiations. Lebanon’s health ministry says Israeli attacks have killed at least 4,383 people since 2 March, including 395 women and 259 children, while Israeli authorities report the deaths of 40 soldiers and four civilians.

Israel says it has demolished key tunnels constructed by Hezbollah beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. According to the report, the tunnels were destroyed in a series of explosions whose force was strong enough to produce a tremor measured at 4.1 magnitude. Israel described the ridge as strategically important because its mountainous terrain could enable Hezbollah to launch attacks against Israeli territory. The announcement follows Israeli authorities’ claim, made several days earlier, that Israeli forces had taken control of the Ali al-Taher ridge. Israel also said Hezbollah, which is backed by Iran, had dug numerous tunnels beneath the area. The reported tunnel network was allegedly intended to support attacks and provide access routes from the ridge toward Israel. The report presents Israel’s claims without independently verifying the destruction of the tunnels, the extent of Israeli control over the ridge, or the precise cause of the tremor. It frames the demolitions as part of continuing military activity involving Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, an area of longstanding conflict and strategic significance. The scale of the explosions highlights the physical impact of the operation, while the reported tremor underscores the power used to destroy the underground infrastructure. The article does not provide details about casualties, damage to nearby communities, Hezbollah’s response, or the wider political and security consequences of the operation. Its primary focus is Israel’s announcement, the alleged tunnel network, and the seismic effect attributed to the demolitions.

Israel says it has destroyed a network of tunnels built by Hezbollah beneath the strategically important Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. The demolition reportedly caused a tremor measuring 4.1 in magnitude, according to the US Geological Survey, and witnesses in the area heard several explosions. Video released by Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz showed a large fireball rising into the night sky after the blast. The operation followed Israeli claims that its forces had taken control of the ridge, a mountainous position from which Israel says Hezbollah could launch attacks. Israeli authorities allege that the Iran-backed group constructed numerous tunnels beneath the area over many years, creating underground routes and military infrastructure close to Israel’s northern border. Israeli troops currently occupy part of southern Lebanon. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said Israel intends to establish a security zone there to prevent attacks against northern Israel. In a joint statement, Netanyahu and Katz described the tunnels as “strategic terrorist infrastructure” constructed over two decades with Iranian funding and planning. The Israeli leaders said the destruction of the tunnels completed their forces’ operational control of the Ali al-Taher ridge both above and below ground. The article presents the demolition as a significant Israeli military action against Hezbollah’s underground capabilities, while also highlighting the physical scale of the explosion and its seismic impact. The report does not include a response from Hezbollah or Lebanese authorities.