The IDF dismantled several key tunnels in the Hezbollah underground network beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, the military said. The network, planned and funded by Iran, served as a central command center for Hezbollah's Bader Unit and was used to launch attacks on northern Israel. IDF forces continue to operate in the area and maintain operational control of the ridge.
The IDF confirmed late Thursday night that it dismantled several key tunnels in the Hezbollah underground network beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon. The military said these tunnels served as the central command center for Hezbollah's Bader Unit, from which commanders directed attacks toward Israeli forces and northern communities. The operation targeted specific tunnels within the broader network, which the IDF previously announced had been destroyed using 700 tons of explosives.
The destruction of the Beaufort Ridge network was first reported around 00:06 Jerusalem, with the IDF stating that a significant portion of the underground complex had been dismantled. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz confirmed that the operation was carried out in response to a Hezbollah ceasefire violation — an explosive drone attack on an IDF bulldozer. The IDF later detailed that the network, built over two decades with Iranian funding, included living quarters, weapons storage, and launch sites for UAVs and anti-tank missiles. The military said forces completed clearing the area and prepared the tunnels for destruction. By subsequent reports, the IDF announced it had destroyed the entire network using 700 tons of explosives. The latest confirmation specifies that the key tunnels serving as the Bader Unit's command center were among those dismantled.
As The Zioneer has reported, the Beaufort Ridge network was a strategic underground fortress built under civilian areas in southern Lebanon, just six kilometers from the Israeli town of Metula. The network was designed to house hundreds of terrorists and serve as a staging ground for a large-scale invasion of the Galilee. IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir described it as a decades-long Iranian-funded project that is now being systematically destroyed. The IDF continues operations at the nearby Ali Taher Ridge, where another major Hezbollah tunnel system is believed to be located.
The full extent of the Beaufort network remains unclear — whether additional tunnels connect to it or how many similar complexes exist along the ridge. The IDF has stated its intent to destroy all Hezbollah underground infrastructure in southern Lebanon. Operations are ongoing.
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