IDF Reveals Hezbollah’s Vast Underground Network Beneath Ali al-Taher Ridge
The IDF on Wednesday released dramatic new footage from inside Hezbollah’s underground tunnel network beneath the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon, revealing extensive infrastructure that Israeli forces said had been built over a period of years for use by the terror organization.
The newly released footage showed underground passages discovered by IDF forces during operations in the area. The routes were investigated and mapped before troops moved to destroy them.
According to the IDF, forces operating along the ridge uncovered a range of Hezbollah infrastructure, including a tunnel that the military described as a strategic asset belonging to the terror organization.
The commander of the Commando Brigade, Col. M., said Israeli forces have been carrying out operations in the region for approximately six months.
“Over the past six months, the unit’s forces, under Division 36 and together with the division’s brigades, have been locating, investigating, mapping, and destroying Hezbollah enemy infrastructure in the Beaufort Ridge and Ali al-Taher Ridge areas, with determination and ingenuity,” he said.
Speaking while standing inside one of the underground passages discovered by Israeli forces, the commander described the tunnel and the preparations underway to demolish it.
“We are currently inside a tunnel in the Ali al-Taher Ridge that served as strategic Hezbollah infrastructure. The unit’s forces, together with the Commando Brigade, located and investigated it and are now preparing to destroy it.”
He said the IDF’s specialized combat engineering forces would continue operating against threats both underground and on the surface.
“The Yahalom Unit will continue to operate above and below ground, wherever necessary, in order to remove threats to the residents of the State of Israel.”
Col. A., commander of the Yahalom Unit, also provided details about the Commando Brigade’s recent operations against Hezbollah positions along the ridge.
“In recent weeks, troops from the Commando Brigade’s Egoz and Maglan units, together with the Yahalom Unit, have operated here in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area,” he said.
According to Col. A., Israeli troops first established control over the terrain above the tunnel network, effectively cutting off Hezbollah terrorists who were positioned underground.
“The troops seized the territory and established operational control over the area above ground, while surrounding and trapping the terrorists inside the underground routes.”
The fighting included direct confrontations between IDF soldiers and Hezbollah terrorists who attempted to emerge from the tunnels, the commander said.
“In some cases, when terrorists attempted to escape from the underground routes, they encountered our troops and were eliminated in face-to-face combat,” he said.
Once Israeli forces entered the tunnel system itself, they encountered extensive underground infrastructure that, according to the IDF commander, had taken Hezbollah years to construct.
“When we entered these underground routes, we found infrastructure that had been built over many years by the Iranian terrorist arm for Hezbollah, with the aim of harming Israeli civilians and IDF troops,” he said.
Col. A. said Israeli forces would remain in the area until the weapons and underground facilities uncovered during the operation had been eliminated.
“We will leave here only after we have destroyed all of the weapons and infrastructure that we found,” he continued.
The commander concluded with a warning that the IDF would pursue threats against Israel even when enemy forces attempt to conceal themselves deep underground.
“All of Israel’s enemies should know that the long arm of the IDF will reach every last one of them, even when they hide inside caves and tunnels, as we found here, so that we can complete our mission of protecting the citizens of the State of Israel.”
{Matzav.com}
