Post by : Bianca
Haleem
The Israeli military has destroyed a large Hezbollah tunnel network beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon, according to a joint statement released late Thursday by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz.
The statement said the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) used 700 tons of explosives to demolish the underground facility, which Israel described as a major part of Hezbollah's military infrastructure.
Operation Delayed Due to June Framework Agreement
Israeli officials said the demolition had originally been planned for an earlier date. However, the operation was postponed following the framework agreement reached in June.
Netanyahu and Katz stated that the tunnel system was destroyed after what they described as Hezbollah's "blatant" violation of the ceasefire agreement on Wednesday, when the group allegedly targeted an unmanned bulldozer with an explosive drone.
Israel Says Tunnel Was Part of Hezbollah's Invasion Plan
According to the joint statement, the underground network was considered a central part of Hezbollah's planned attack on communities in the Galilee region.
"The State of Israel will not accept any violation of the ceasefire agreement. Any attempt by Hezbollah to harm IDF troops or Israeli civilians will be met with a severe and powerful response that will exact a heavy price from the terrorist organization," Netanyahu and Katz said.
They also stated that the IDF will continue operating inside the security zone in southern Lebanon and will keep destroying what Israel describes as terrorist infrastructure to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities.
IDF Says Several Underground Routes Were Destroyed
In a separate statement, the Israeli military said it destroyed several key underground routes in the Beaufort Ridge area.
The IDF said its forces had spent the past several weeks securing the ridge, taking control of the underground infrastructure, clearing the area, and preparing the tunnel network for demolition.
The military also noted that it had already destroyed another tunnel connected to the Beaufort Ridge underground system on July 13. With the latest operation completed, Israel said most of the tunnel network in the area has now been destroyed.
Israeli Military Continues Monitoring Another Tunnel Network
The IDF said it is continuing to monitor another large Hezbollah tunnel system beneath the Ali Taher ridge, near Nabatieh.
According to the military, dozens of Hezbollah operatives are still believed to be inside the underground network. However, Israel said that under the current ceasefire agreement, it has been unable to capture the tunnel system beneath the ridge, although military operations have continued in other parts of southern Lebanon.
June Agreement and Upcoming Technical Talks
The framework agreement reached in June called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas of southern Lebanon where Hezbollah had previously maintained military influence. The agreement is intended to support Israel's withdrawal from the buffer zone it currently controls in the south.
Technical teams from both sides are scheduled to meet from August 4 to August 6 to discuss the implementation of the framework agreement, which is intended to help move toward a future peace agreement between Israel and Lebanon.
Report Says Israel Opposes Further Withdrawals
According to a report by Channel 12, Israel informed mediators on Wednesday that it would not agree to any additional withdrawals from territory in southern Lebanon during next week's discussions.
The report said Israel plans to suspend further withdrawals south of the "yellow line", which marks the buffer zone, until Hezbollah is disarmed.
The Iran-backed Hezbollah group has rejected calls for disarmament and has opposed the ongoing Israel-Lebanon talks.
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