Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir visited the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon on Sunday, descending into a subterranean tunnel network built by Hezbollah over decades with Iranian funding. He warned the Lebanese army must clear the area of terrorist infrastructure, and said the IDF is ready to resume offensive operations if the ceasefire is violated.
Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir on Sunday toured the strategic Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, descending into a subterranean tunnel network the IDF says was built by Hezbollah with Iranian funding over decades. Accompanied by commanders of the Northern Command, the 36th Division, and special forces, Zamir warned that the area is 'saturated with terrorist infrastructure' and called on the Lebanese army to clear the area of Hezbollah operatives, adding that the IDF is prepared to 'transition to a rapid offensive' if the ceasefire is violated. The visit marks the latest in a series of statements from the IDF chief today, as The Zioneer tracked the evolving picture.
The Zioneer has been reporting the developments since Sunday afternoon. At 14:59 Jerusalem, we reported that Zamir said Hezbollah is now relying on its Iranian patron to save it. Within the same hour, we reported that the tunnel network was built with Iranian funds, and that the area is 'saturated with terror infrastructure.' Further updates noted his declaration that the IDF now controls key areas above and below ground, that the 36th Division crossed the Litani River and surprised the enemy, and that Hezbollah is 'exhausted and defeated in every engagement.' The warnings of a rapid offensive if the ceasefire is violated were repeated across every update.
The Beaufort Ridge has been a central focus of IDF operations in southern Lebanon. As The Zioneer reported on June 7, the tunnel network is a multi-shaft underground city built to hold hundreds of fighters and launch attacks. On June 13, we reported that troops found attack maps of northern Israel inside the tunnels. The fragility of the ceasefire was highlighted by the previous chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Herzi Halevi, during a June 21 tour of the same area, as The Zioneer reported.
It remains unclear whether the Lebanese military will act on Zamir's call to clear the area of Hezbollah operatives, a commitment under the November 2024 ceasefire agreement. The durability of the ceasefire, which has seen repeated violations, continues to be uncertain.
9 developments
- DevelopingChief of Staff: Hezbollah's command echelon thwarted in Ali Taher, Beaufort underground fortress
- StrongIDF Chief of Staff: Hezbollah 'Exhausted and Defeated,' Now Pins Hopes on Iran
- ConfirmedIDF: Troops have full freedom of action across southern Lebanon against any threat
- StrongIDF clears Hezbollah tunnel network beneath Beaufort Ridge, advances near Nabatieh
Source and signal
- Internal intake