Israeli forces destroyed a tunnel network used by Hizbollah beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon on Thursday, marking the culmination of a months-long military campaign to secure the strategically important area. The tunnel system, which Israeli officials said extended for more than two kilometers, was located in a region that provides a vantage point over much of southern Lebanon.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the demolition of the tunnels as completing “the consolidation” of a buffer zone several kilometers deep that Israeli forces had captured earlier this year. The operation is seen by Israel as both a symbolic and tactical setback for Hizbollah, the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group.

Since March, Israel has maintained control over a significant portion of southern Lebanon following its military incursion into the northern neighbor. The campaign reflects ongoing tensions between the two countries, with Israel aiming to neutralize threats posed by Hizbollah’s presence near its northern border.

At the time of the tunnel demolition, there was no immediate public response from Hizbollah. Observers note that the group has historically been cautious in its reactions to Israeli military actions in the region, often balancing military and political considerations.

The recent developments underscore the continued volatility along the Israel-Lebanon frontier, where both sides remain entrenched amid a broader regional struggle involving Iranian influence and proxy dynamics. The destruction of the tunnel network represents the latest chapter in a conflict that periodically escalates into open hostilities but also sees periods of relative calm.