On September 10 (local time), Israel announced that it had detonated and completely destroyed the key tunnel system built by Hezbollah under the strategic Ali al-Taher mountain range in southern Lebanon.
The violent explosion at night created a giant column of fire and caused a strong 4.1 magnitude earthquake as recorded by the US Geological Survey (USGS).
Earlier, Lebanese state media reported that Israel had carried out a large-scale explosion in the Nabatieh area, causing a loud roar and shaking the ground violently. Many international reporters and residents in neighboring areas of southern Lebanon confirmed hearing continuous loud explosions and clearly feeling shaking.
In a joint statement, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Israeli Defense Minister Katz affirmed: "This is a strategic terrorist infrastructure built over the past two decades with funding and plans from Iran. This destruction completes the operational control over the Ali al-Taher range, both on land and underground".
The Israeli military said that this underground tunnel complex used to include the command headquarters of the "Badr" unit of Hezbollah, along with 8 underground routes, dozens of unmanned aerial vehicles carrying explosives and hundreds of mines seized.
The move comes after Israeli forces controlled the high hills of Ali al-Taher to prevent attacks targeting the north of the country.
Military tensions between the two sides escalated again after a period of temporary calm according to the agreements reached in June. Beirut officials said that Israeli airstrikes have killed more than 4,300 people since March, while Israeli soldiers continue to maintain their presence in the security area in southern Lebanon.
