On September 10, 2026, the Israel Defense Forces used 1,100 tons of explosives to destroy a massive Hezbollah underground complex beneath the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon. The detonation triggered a magnitude 4.1 earthquake and caused residents in nearby Nabatieh to flee. Israeli officials stated the operation completed their security zone, while the complex had served as a strategic nerve center built over two decades with Iranian funding.
Ali Taher Ridge tunnel destruction
- ▪The Israel Defense Forces used 1,100 tons of explosives to destroy Hezbollah's underground tunnel system beneath the Ali Taher Ridge in southern Lebanon on September 10, 2026
- ▪The Israel Defense Forces' operation to capture and clear the Ali Taher Ridge tunnels lasted several months and involved the 36th Division, the Commando Brigade, and the Yahalom special engineering unit
- ▪The Israel Defense Forces offered the estimated 50 Hezbollah operatives inside the Ali Taher Ridge tunnels the option to surrender, but they refused and either fought or fled
Hezbollah underground infrastructure
- ▪The Ali Taher Ridge underground complex featured command centers, weapons rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers, and a kitchen to support extended stays
- ▪The underground facility beneath the Ali Taher Ridge served as the command center and nerve center for Hezbollah's Badr regional division
- ▪Inside the Ali Taher Ridge tunnels, Israel Defense Forces troops found dozens of Iranian-made rockets, missiles, drones, anti-tank weapons, mines, and explosives
Seismic tremor effects
- ▪The underground detonation of 1,100 tons of explosives by the Israel Defense Forces on September 10, 2026, triggered a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey
- ▪Marlène Brax, director of Lebanon's National Centre for Geophysics, stated that the explosions occurred near two active geological faults that have historically generated earthquakes
Civilian displacement reactions
- ▪Following the massive explosion on September 10, 2026, residents of Nabatieh fled the area toward Beirut, causing cars to fill the roads
- ▪The United Nations reported that approximately 330,000 people in Lebanon remain displaced due to the conflict, including Israeli military activity and restrictions on returning home
Israeli security zone completion
- ▪Following the demolition of the Ali Taher Ridge tunnels, the Israel Defense Forces withdrew from the ridge and repositioned along rear lines in the Beaufort area while maintaining fire control
- ▪Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz announced on September 10, 2026, that the destruction of the Ali Taher Ridge tunnels completed the establishment of Israel's security zone in southern Lebanon
Iran-Hezbollah strategic relationship
- ▪The Israel Defense Forces stated that the Ali Taher Ridge underground complex was built over two decades with planning and funding from Iran
- ▪A senior Israeli military official stated that Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem's recent appeal to Iran for assistance received a cold response from Tehran
Debatable claims
- ▪Israel should maintain a security zone in southern Lebanon
- ▪Israel's massive explosive demolitions in Lebanon pose unacceptable seismic risks
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