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| The Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon's Nabatieh district overlooks Israeli communities and served as Hezbollah's command center ali-al-taher-ridge-location-map.jpg |
In a major military development in September 2026, Israeli forces completed the destruction of one of Hezbollah's most strategic underground complexes beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. This operation represents a significant escalation in the 2026 Lebanon conflict and reveals the scale of underground military infrastructure that Hezbollah has built over two decades with Iranian support.
Article Structure: Comprehensive guide to understanding Hezbollah's tunnel network, its military significance, and the implications of its destruction for regional security.
What Happened: The Operation Overview
The Military Campaign
The siege of Ali al-Taher was an Israeli military operation to encircle, besiege and ultimately seize a major underground Hezbollah complex beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, part of the wider 2026 Lebanon war.
Timeline of Events:
Early August 2026: Israeli operations begin with encirclement strategy
Throughout August-September: Systematic ground clearing and targeted airstrikes
September 3, 2026: Israel declares operational control of the complex
September 10, 2026: Final destruction of tunnel infrastructure using 1,100+ tons of explosives
Key Operational Metrics
According to the IDF, the terrorist infrastructure extended for more than two kilometers. More detailed assessments revealed even greater scope: According to an Israeli military official, the underground network consisted of eight routes with a combined length of more than 5,400 meters (17,700 feet).
The Ali al-Taher Ridge: Strategic Significance
Geographic and Military Importance
Located near Nabatieh in the Nabatiyeh district of southern Lebanon, the Ali al-Taher ridge served as a critical strategic position for Hezbollah's operations. The terrain provided natural fortification and elevation advantages overlooking Israeli communities in the north.
Surveillance and Control Capabilities
The command center on the ridge provided Hezbollah with observation and fire control over the northern Israeli communities of Metula and Kiryat Shmona. This capability made the ridge invaluable for coordinating cross-border operations and missile launches.
Regional Context
Hezbollah is believed to have spent roughly 20 years constructing a subterranean complex beneath the ridge, including command centres, weapons depots and missile facilities, which allowed the group to operate drones and missiles while sheltering fighters from air attack.
Inside Hezbollah's Underground Complex
Multi-Level Construction
This is an underground network consisting of several levels excavated deep into the rocky ground. The entire network was built with full funding and planning by the Iranian terror regime over more than a decade.
Those tunnels were built over a decade, reaching depths of some 25 meters, and were "funded by the Iranian terror regime and as part of Hezbollah's plan to conquer the Galilee."
Facility Capabilities
The underground complex was far more than simple tunnel passages. It included:
Command and Control Centers: Nerve centers for the Badr Unit, Hezbollah's regional division
Living Quarters: Extensive facilities to sustain dozens of fighters
Utilities: Water systems, electrical infrastructure, and ventilation
Support Operations: Communication facilities and operational command rooms
The IDF believed the underground sites were intended by Hezbollah for use as a staging ground, where hundreds of terror operatives would arrive when called, gather equipment, and ready themselves to attack Israeli towns.
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| Israeli forces discovered dozens of Iranian-made rockets and missiles multiple UAVs anti-tank missiles and hundreds of mines in the destroyed tunnel complex hezbollah-tunnel-arsenal-weapons.jpg |
Military Operation Details
Tactical Approach
The Israeli operation employed a sophisticated, multi-phase military strategy:
Phase 1: Encirclement
Israeli forces surrounded the ridge in a rapid advance around ten weeks before the operation concluded, trapping an estimated several dozen Hezbollah fighters and Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) "advisers" inside a network of tunnels.
Phase 2: Ground Clearing
In the past few weeks, troops of the 36th Division, who had achieved "operational control of the ridge area above and below ground," cleared two major tunnel routes under Ali Taher of Hezbollah operatives, killing some of them while others fled.
Phase 3: Elimination Tactics
A military official said that control was achieved through "offensive operational activities" in recent weeks, including ambushes against the Hezbollah operatives who had been hiding there, and attacks on the tunnel shafts with gunfire, grenades, drones, and airstrikes.
Final Destruction
Israeli forces detonated more than 1,100 tons of explosives to destroy a subterranean Hezbollah network beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon on Thursday, September 10, 2026. The United States Geological Survey meanwhile reported a 4.1 magnitude tremor in the area, after Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that Israel carried out a "massive explosion" on the Ali al-Taher ridge in the Nabatiyeh region, "causing tremors and a powerful rumble".
Military Units Involved
36th Division: Primary ground forces conducting the operation
Oz Brigade: Specialized combat forces
Yahalom Unit: Engineering and demolition specialists
Israeli Air Force: Providing aerial support and precision strikes
Arsenal Discovered
Scale of Weaponry
The discovery inside the tunnel complex revealed the extent of Hezbollah's military capabilities:
Dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles and UAVs were found inside, along with machine guns, dozens of anti-tank missiles and hundreds of mines and explosive devices.
Detailed Weapons Inventory
IDF troops found dozens of explosive drones and other unmanned aerial vehicles, machine guns and anti-tank missiles inside the tunnels, along with hundreds of mines, RPG rockets, explosive devices and other military equipment.
Strategic Implications
The weapons cache demonstrates Hezbollah's:
Access to sophisticated Iranian military technology
Capability to sustain prolonged military operations
Capacity for both defensive and offensive operations
Drone and aerial capability development
According to the IDF, the terrorist infrastructure also contained a central command complex belonging to Hezbollah's "Badr" Unit.
Iranian Connection and Funding
Direct Iranian Role
The Iranian dimension of the Ali al-Taher complex cannot be overstated. The strategic terrorist infrastructure, built over two decades with Iranian funding and planning, was intended to serve as a staging base for Hezbollah's planned conquest of the Galilee.
IRGC Presence
Intelligence reports indicate direct Iranian military involvement:
Despite a report by Reuters earlier Thursday, which claimed that a dozen members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, including at least two senior officers, were with Hezbollah operatives at the underground site.
North Korean Expertise
Following the 2006 War, Hezbollah developed an underground tunnel network with Iranian support, drawing on North Korean tunnelling expertise, according to an August 2021 report by the Israeli Alma Research and Education Center.
"Hezbollah's model is the same as the North Korean model: tunnels in which hundreds of combatants, fully equipped, can pass stealthily and rapidly underground," the report said.
Broader Tunnel Network
Hezbollah, after the Second Lebanon War in 2006, created a defensive plan to confront the Israeli invasion, which includes dozens of centers. Operations equipped with underground networks and tunnels linking important centers in Beirut, the Bekaa and the South, in which the cumulative length of the tunnels reaches several hundred kilometers.
Strategic Implications
Shift in Military Balance
The destruction of the Ali al-Taher complex represents a significant blow to Hezbollah's operational capability:
Command and Control: Loss of a nerve center for southern Lebanon operations
Staging Ground: Elimination of a key launching point for cross-border attacks
Intelligence Hub: Removal of observation and fire control capabilities
Supply Network: Disruption of weapons storage and distribution
Israeli Security Zone
The destruction "completes the achievement of operational control over the Ali al-Taher ridge -- above and below ground".
This operation forms part of Israel's broader strategy to establish a security buffer zone in southern Lebanon, preventing Hezbollah from utilizing underground infrastructure for attacks on northern Israeli communities.
Long-Term Consequences
The operation demonstrates:
Israeli capability to locate, assault, and destroy deeply buried infrastructure
Limitations of underground fortification against coordinated military operations
The challenges Hezbollah faces in maintaining its military infrastructure
Regional Context and Tensions
The 2026 Lebanon War
The siege of Ali al-Taher was an Israeli military operation to encircle, besiege and ultimately seize a major underground Hezbollah complex beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, part of the wider 2026 Lebanon war.
Ceasefire Fragility
The subterranean passages were reportedly designed to serve as a staging ground for cross-border operations, including plans often attributed by Israeli intelligence to Hezbollah for potential incursions into the Galilee region of northern Israel.
This military engineering and demolition campaign unfolds against the backdrop of an uneasy peace. On June 26, Lebanon and Israel reached an initial framework agreement mediated by the United States. That accord was intended to lay the groundwork for a permanent cessation of hostilities.
Hezbollah's Silence
Notably, Hezbollah has remained silent on the matter. This silence may reflect the significant damage to the organization's operational capabilities and morale.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Ali al-Taher ridge used for?
The Ali al-Taher ridge housed a major Hezbollah underground complex that served as a command and control center for the Badr Unit, weapons storage facility, and staging ground for potential cross-border operations into northern Israel.
How long did it take to destroy the tunnels?
The entire operation took several months, beginning in early August 2026 and concluding with the final demolition on September 10, 2026. The actual destruction phase involved over 1,100 tons of explosives.
Who funded the tunnel construction?
The entire complex was funded and planned by the Iranian government, with technical assistance from North Korean experts. The construction spanned approximately 20 years.
Were there casualties in the operation?
According to Israeli military reports, Israeli casualties were 5 killed and 21 wounded. Hezbollah and IRGC casualties reportedly exceeded 20, with additional fighters either killed or trapped inside the tunnels.
Why are underground tunnels important in this conflict?
Tunnels provide protection from air superiority (Israel's main advantage), allow concealed movement of weapons and fighters, and enable command centers to operate while protected from airstrikes.
What weapons were found inside?
The complex contained dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles, UAVs, machine guns, anti-tank missiles, RPGs, hundreds of mines, and various explosive devices.
How extensive is Hezbollah's overall tunnel network?
Experts estimate Hezbollah's tunnel network spans several hundred kilometers across Lebanon, with facilities in Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. The Ali al-Taher complex was one of several major installations.
Did any Iranian military personnel die?
Reports indicate Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps advisers were present in the tunnels during the operation, though exact casualty figures are unclear.
Conclusion
The destruction of Hezbollah's Ali al-Taher tunnel complex marks a watershed moment in the 2026 Lebanon conflict. The IDF said that its soldiers completed the dismantling of the underground routes in the Ali al-Taher Ridge area after recently establishing operational control over the ridge, both above and below ground.
This operation demonstrates:
Technological Capability: Israel's ability to locate and neutralize deeply buried military infrastructure
Strategic Significance: The critical importance of underground installations in modern asymmetric warfare
Iranian Involvement: The extent of Iran's investment in Hezbollah's military capability
Regional Instability: The fragile nature of the ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah
The successful elimination of this complex represents a significant operational victory for Israeli forces but occurs against a backdrop of ongoing tensions and humanitarian concerns in southern Lebanon. The regional situation remains volatile, with questions about the long-term sustainability of the ceasefire and the possibility of similar operations against other Hezbollah installations.