The Israeli military has destroyed a Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon, which was reportedly being prepared for use by the group’s elite forces in an invasion of Israel. The tunnel, located by troops from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Hiram Brigade and the Air Force’s Shaldag unit, was found in the middle of a civilian neighbourhood, according to IDF officials.
The entrance to the tunnel was concealed within a civilian house, which was also being used as a weapons warehouse for Hezbollah. Inside, IDF troops uncovered a significant cache of weapons and military equipment, all of which were intended for Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Forces.
According to the IDF, the tunnel was part of a more extensive underground system where Hezbollah had been stockpiling weapons for an eventual invasion of Israel. The IDF proceeded to demolish the tunnel in a large explosion that also destroyed five buildings connected to the underground depot.
The operation also targeted a hotel and other Hezbollah-affiliated structures housing missile launchers, which had been used to attack northern Israeli towns, including Galilee, in recent months. The IDF claims that these missile sites were being used to launch attacks against civilian areas in the north of Israel.
This recent discovery follows another tunnel found by the IDF just a week earlier in southern Lebanon. That tunnel also believed to be part of Hezbollah’s “Conquer the Galilee” operation, contained helicopter missiles, mortar shells, ammunition, motorcycles, and enough food and supplies to sustain Hezbollah fighters for several days.
IDF spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, who toured the tunnel, stated that Hezbollah intended to use the weapons and motorcycles to launch raids on Israeli towns, including Kiryat Shmona and other northern villages.
The tunnels, found near the Israeli-Lebanese border, are a clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, which was established in 2006 to end the Israeli-Lebanese war and create a buffer zone along the border. The resolution prohibits military activity by both the IDF and Hezbollah in the area, discovering these tunnels a significant breach of the agreement.
