Israel’s military announced on Thursday that it had demolished a network of underground tunnels used by the Iran‑backed Hezbollah group on the strategic Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, an operation that generated a magnitude‑4.1 tremor recorded by the U.S. Geological Survey.
Operation details
The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said the strike was carried out with more than 1,100 tonnes of explosives to completely destroy the tunnel system, which it described as a "pentagon"‑shaped underground base. Times of Israel reported the figure as 1,100 tonnes, while other outlets such as Times Now cited “around 1,000 tonnes”. The tunnels were located on the Ali al‑Taher ridge, a high‑ground position that overlooks the Israel‑Lebanon border and has long been cited by Israeli officials as a key infiltration route for Hezbollah fighters.
Seismic reaction
Following the detonations, seismographs registered a 4.1‑magnitude tremor centred in southern Lebanon. The United States Geological Survey confirmed the reading, noting that the quake was shallow and localized. No injuries or structural damage were reported in the immediate vicinity, and local authorities did not issue an evacuation order. The seismic event was widely covered in live feeds by European broadcasters, underscoring the rarity of an artificial blast being registered as an earthquake.
Strategic significance
"The IDF has completed the security zone on the Ali al‑Taher ridge and destroyed the tunnel network," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a televised address.
Netanyahu framed the operation as the culmination of a broader “security zone” effort aimed at denying Hezbollah the ability to launch attacks across the border. He also warned Iran against intervening in the conflict, stating that any escalation would be met with decisive action. The declaration aligns with a series of Israeli strikes in recent weeks targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in the south, a pattern that analysts say reflects heightened tensions following cross‑border incidents earlier this year.
Hezbollah did not immediately respond to the Israeli claim, but its spokesperson, in past statements, has characterised such Israeli incursions as “provocations”. The tunnel system, according to Israeli sources, was a central component of Hezbollah’s logistics, allowing the movement of weapons, fighters, and supplies beneath the ridge. Destroying it, Israeli officials argue, reduces the group’s operational reach and protects northern Israeli communities from mortar and rocket fire.
International reactions have been muted so far. The United Nations’ peacekeeping contingent in southern Lebanon noted the seismic event but refrained from commenting on the military operation itself. The United States, while monitoring the situation, has not issued a formal statement, though diplomatic sources indicate Washington views the strike as part of Israel’s right to self‑defence against an armed non‑state actor.
