Lebanon: 'Almost two months trapped in Ali al-Taher tunnels': 40 Hezbollah fighters besieged by Israel

Israeli forces have been besieging approximately 40 Hezbollah fighters trapped inside a network of underground tunnels beneath the Ali al-Taher hill in southern Lebanon, according to multiple reports. The militants, believed to include members of Hezbollah’s elite Radwan Force and the Badr unit, have been cut off from the surface for nearly two months. They remain confined within a complex system of tunnels stretching over a kilometer in length, which Hezbollah has constructed with Iranian technical assistance over the past two decades. These tunnels serve as both a command center and a storage facility for weapons and rocket launchers. The conflict began on June 20, when Israeli troops captured the nearby Beaufort Castle, located 4.5 kilometers southeast of the Ali al-Taher hill. Since then, ground forces and Israeli airpower have been conducting operations in the area. A ceasefire agreement brokered between Tel Aviv and Beirut, excluding Hezbollah, has been in effect for 24 hours, yet Israeli military units continue to patrol the region around the clock. The strategic importance of the Ali al-Taher hill lies in its dominance over the Nabatieh area and key communication routes in southern Lebanon. Its fortified position makes it difficult to strike effectively using aerial attacks alone, prompting Israeli forces to maintain a ground presence and conduct a siege on the entrenched militants. According to Lebanese security sources, the tunnels under the hill contain between 30 and 40 active Hezbollah operatives. The Israeli military has stated that its soldiers are stationed at the entrances to the “Imad 4” compound and will not allow the militants to exit the tunnel network or operate freely in the surrounding area. This strategy was reinforced on June 24, when the Israeli army announced on social media that one Hezbollah fighter had been eliminated after emerging from a tunnel entrance and being targeted by an Israeli Air Force aircraft guided by ground troops. The stalemate has persisted for weeks, with Israeli forces reportedly intensifying their operations around the compound. On August 8, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu emphasized the significance of these military maneuvers, likely in an effort to bolster his political standing ahead of the October 27 elections. At the same time, Beirut warned it might not attend the next round of direct talks scheduled for early September. Recent reports suggest that Israeli forces have used drones and remotely controlled vehicles to advance into the area without risking soldier lives. Troops reportedly moved from an eastern approach near the Kfar Tebnit checkpoint before advancing northward toward the base of the hill, where the latest operations have concentrated. Lebanese newspaper L’Orient-Le Jour reported that Israeli forces identified several tunnel entrances and deployed gas into the tunnels. However, the details of this operation were not fully disclosed. Meanwhile, Hezbollah has rejected all offers to establish a safe passage allowing its fighters to evacuate the structure. The situation remains tense, with Israeli forces continuing to monitor the entrances and responding swiftly to any attempts by the militants to breach the surface. Hezbollah’s presence in the tunnels is considered critical to its southern operations, and its ability to hold the position could influence broader regional dynamics. The Israeli military has shown no signs of retreating from the area, indicating a long-term commitment to neutralizing the threat posed by the entrenched militants. As the standoff continues, the fate of the trapped fighters remains uncertain, with neither side showing immediate willingness to de-escalate the situation.