Israel Demolishes Major Hezbollah Underground Base in Southern Lebanon

Israel’s military has reported the successful destruction of a substantial underground complex operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. The operation involved the detonation of more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives, targeting two tunnels that extended over 2 kilometers beneath the Ali Taher Ridge.

The powerful blast caused seismic tremors equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the U.S. Geological Survey, and was witnessed by residents in nearby areas.

One resident described the sky lighting up, followed by a terrifying sound and shaking that felt like an earthquake. This prompted fear, with some residents evacuating their homes for safer areas.

Images released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) showed a massive fireball erupting from the site. The IDF stated that the destroyed infrastructure included a command center for Hezbollah’s Badr unit, along with numerous rockets, missiles, drones, and other weaponry.

Israeli forces had taken control of the ridge after prolonged fighting with the Iran-backed group. The IDF described the complex as strategic infrastructure built over two decades with funding and planning from Iran, asserting that all militants present were either eliminated or fled.

This action is part of Israel’s broader operations in southern Lebanon, which have seen an expansion of activities against Hezbollah positions and the establishment of what Israel terms a security zone along the border. Fresh Israeli strikes were also reported in other southern Lebanese locations.