IDF Chief Details Hezbollah's Decades-Long Underground Network at Beaufort; Says Forces Control Surface and Tunnels

Control Above and Below Ground

During his tour of the Beaufort Castle area, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, accompanied by Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo and Division 36 commander Brig. Gen. Yiftach Norkin, descended into the subterranean routes recently exposed by the IDF. Zamir detailed how Hezbollah, directed by the Iranian regime, spent twenty years carving significant command centers, firing positions, and drone launch sites deep into the mountain. These facilities were designed to sustain prolonged combat and pose a direct threat to Israel's northern communities.

"Our forces now control the key terrain above ground and these underground routes below ground," Zamir said, emphasizing that the military has effectively neutralized what was once a central pillar of Hezbollah's defensive and offensive strategy in the sector.

Warning to the Lebanese Army

Addressing the current security framework, the Chief of Staff issued a clear directive to the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF). He stated that the LAF is required to fulfill its commitments under the existing agreement by clearing Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure from areas outside of current IDF control. While the ceasefire remains in effect, Zamir warned that the IDF is prepared to launch a "rapid offensive" should the truce be violated or if threats to Israeli territory persist.

Zamir specifically praised the soldiers of Division 36 for their offensive maneuvers, noting that their crossing of the Litani River surprised the enemy and significantly weakened Hezbollah's operational standing. He noted that the terror group is currently "pinning its hopes on its Iranian patron" to survive the current crisis.

Strategic Context

The Beaufort Ridge has long been considered one of the most critical vantage points in southern Lebanon, overlooking the Galilee. The IDF's consolidation of control over this territory follows months of systematic dismantling of Hezbollah's elite infrastructure. According to material reviewed by The Zioneer Intelligence Desk, the military continues to operate with "full freedom of action" to remove immediate threats, even as the broader diplomatic framework remains under test.