BEIRUT/JERUSALEM — Israel's military said Friday it had gained operational control of a strategic ridge in southern Lebanon after clearing Hezbollah fighters from underground routes beneath it.
Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said troops had completed the operation and cleared the tunnels of fighters. The Israeli military said some Hezbollah members were killed, and some fled.
There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah on the claim. Reuters could not independently confirm the ridge’s status now.
The ridge near the city of Nabatieh and the Litani River has become a major flashpoint in the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah. The elevated position offers a sweeping view of parts of southern Lebanon, and Lebanese security sources say Hezbollah has constructed an underground military infrastructure beneath the area.
The Israeli army said the underground network included command facilities and weapons storage sites. It said Iran had funded and helped develop the infrastructure, which took about two decades to build. The claims could not be independently confirmed.
Weeks of fighting had preceded the operation around the ridge. Earlier, Israel had designated Ali al-Taher as a significant operational target, and the location was included within its self-proclaimed security zone in southern Lebanon.
Three officials briefed on the message said Iran warned the United States in August that it would respond forcefully to a major Israeli strike on Hezbollah positions at the ridge. Hezbollah had also declared it would fight any Israeli advance.
The ridge is located just a few kilometres from Beaufort Castle, another strategic position that Israeli forces captured in recent months. “Its position allows it to control routes to areas north and east of the ridge, including the Iqlim al-Tuffah area,” said military analyst Riad Kahwaji.
Ali al-Taher challenged the June ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah. The truce eased the level of fighting but did not halt military activity in southern Lebanon, where Israeli forces have continued to operate and Hezbollah has retained positions.
The larger war escalated after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on February 28 killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran confirmed on March 1 that he had died, and Hezbollah then joined the wider regional confrontation from Lebanon.
Israel's latest claim is another major shift in control on the Lebanese front, but the extent of its control over the underground network and the ridge is difficult to assess independently.
