The IDF announced Thursday evening that it has completed the dismantling of an Iranian-funded underground command complex that Hezbollah built over two decades beneath the Ali al-Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. The network, which served as the headquarters for Hezbollah's Badr unit, was cleared by the 36th Division, the Commando Brigade, and the Yahalom engineering unit. All terrorists inside were eliminated or fled, the military said, though the operation came at a heavy cost with soldiers killed in the battles.
The Ali al-Taher Ridge complex was one of Hezbollah's most strategically significant positions in southern Lebanon, offering direct lines of sight toward northern Israeli communities. According to the IDF, the network was constructed over two decades with Iranian funding and engineering, serving as the central command hub for the terror group's Badr unit.
The operation to clear the ridge involved a diversionary maneuver. The 36th Division captured the Beaufort Ridge from an unexpected direction after crossing the Litani River, surprising Hezbollah forces. Following this, the Commando Brigade and Yahalom engineering troops cleared the underground routes and prepared them for demolition. The IDF stated that terrorists who attempted to flee or resupply were eliminated in airstrikes, ground ambushes, and close-quarters combat. All operatives inside the infrastructure were killed or escaped, and the group failed to defend the position despite prior declarations that it would.
The IDF acknowledged the heavy cost of the operation. 'Our soldiers, the finest of our sons, the best of us, fell in the battles to gain control of and clear the ridge,' said the IDF Spokesperson, BG Effie Defrin. The military said it will continue to operate along all borders to remove threats.
The dismantling caps a series of operations in the area that include the earlier clearing of tunnel networks beneath the Beaufort Ridge and ongoing pressure on Hezbollah's remaining capabilities in southern Lebanon.
2 developments
- Developingi24NEWS: IDF destroys tunnel route on Ali Taher ridge north of Nabatieh
- StrongIDF to reduce forces, draw new security line closer to border after destroying Hezbollah tunnels on Ali Taher ridge
- StrongNew details: IDF used 1,100 tons of explosives to destroy Hezbollah's Ali Taher ridge underground complex
- DevelopingIDF Destroys Hezbollah Tunnels in Lebanon, Warns of More Undestroyed
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