Israel’s strike on Hezbollah’s underground complex in southern Lebanon


The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced that it had blown up a major Hezbollah tunnel complex beneath the Ali Taher Ridge, striking the deep‑laid network that extends over more than 2 km (1.2 miles) beneath the hill. The operation deployed in excess of 1,000 tonnes of explosives, triggering seismic ripples that reached a peak equivalent to a magnitude‑4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey.


Fireball lighting up the sky as Israeli forces detonate Hezbollah tunnels

Local residents near the ridge reported a dramatic blaze and a terrifying explosion at about 15 seconds after the detonation. A resident from Nabatieh, roughly 6 km west of the site, described how houses trembled as though struck by an earthquake, and how people fled the area to Beirut. Tremors were felt as far north as the coastal city of Saida, 40 km away.


The IDF said the complex housed a command centre for Hezbollah’s Badr unit and contained dozens of rockets, missiles, UAVs, anti‑tank weapons, mines and explosives. It described the infrastructure as “strategic” and a product of two decades of Iranian‑funded planning. All personnel inside the underground network were reportedly eliminated or fled.


With the destruction of this base, the IDF claims it has “completed a mission to demolish eight tunnels and establish a security zone” in the area. The strike follows a period of escalated Israeli activity against Hezbollah positions after Israel captured substantial southern Lebanese territory following its March 2026 campaign.


Lebanese authorities have not publicly responded to the IDF’s claim, and the Lebanese government has not offered commentary. Outside of the IDF’s announcement, Israeli forces have carried out additional raids on other southern Lebanese locations, including Nabatieh al‑Fawqa and Mansouri in the Tyre district.


The conflict that reignited on 2 March 2026—when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel following a strike that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader—has produced widespread casualties. At least 4,362 people in Lebanon have died since hostilities resumed, while Israeli forces report 40 casualties on their side. The UN reports about 330,000 people remain displaced in Lebanon.


Additional reporting by Raffi Berg in London and Samantha Granville & Ghaith Solh in Beirut