After a year spent targeting Hamas' extensive tunnel network in Gaza, the Israeli military has shifted its view to dismantling Hezbollah's underground system in southern Lebanon. Israeli forces say a two-week effort there has revealed sophisticated tunnels equipped with weapons, including rocket launchers, that Israel sees as a direct threat to bordering Israeli communities.
Hezbollah, backed by Iran, is the Arab world's foremost paramilitary force and renowned for its labyrinthine underground infrastructure. Israeli officials cite these tunnels as evidence of Hezbollah's plans for a large-scale offensive against northern Israel. The tunnels, carved into solid rock, provide strategic advantages to Hezbollah, enabling covert operations and weapon smuggling. Political analyst Eva J. Koulouriotis says the tunnels reach into the southern suburbs of Beirut, while others run along the country's Syrian border and are used to smuggle arms in from Iran.
An Israeli military official said previously gathered intelligence was used to by Israel to access "hundreds and hundreds and hundreds" of Hezbollah's underground positions, many containing rations and able to hold about 10 fighters. The official said that after their discovery, tunnels are blown up or filled with cement to prevent their future use. (This story was generated by Newser's AI chatbot. Source: the AP)
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