Israel’s military has cleared Hezbollah terrorists holed up in tunnels under the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday.
Israel had said Hezbollah fighters were embedded in tunnels under the ridge, which overlooks a wide area and had become one of the most hotly contested areas in the Israel-Hezbollah war, despite a ceasefire announced in June.
Reuters reported on Thursday that Iran had warned the United States last month that it would respond forcefully to an Israeli assault on its Hezbollah allies’ positions within the ridge.
“The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists,” Katz said on social media, after a statement by the military late on Thursday saying it had operational control of the ridge.
The military said some Hezbollah fighters had been “eliminated,” while others had fled.
A Lebanese military officer said Israeli troops had seized the southern entrances to the complex and could monitor the northern entrances through surveillance drones.
The complex included various tunnels and storage areas, some of which were not connected to one another, and it was unclear how far the troops had penetrated, and whether any fighters were still there, or might have booby-trapped parts of the complex, the officer said.
Hezbollah did not immediately respond to a request for comment and Reuters was not able to verify the status of the ridge independently.
The Shi’ite Muslim group is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the ridge and had said it would resist any Israeli assault.
Katz’s announcement comes following a warning issued Friday evening to Israeli citizens of upcoming IDF strikes on Lebanon.
The announcement, issued by the Upper Galilee Regional Council, told citizens to expect explosions to be heard in the Western Galilee, the Hula Valley, the Ramim Ridge, and possibly in northern Golan Heights.
No further security instructions were given to the public, though the IDF and the council will be in “continous contact” and will issue updates in the event of any changes, the department added.
Lebanese media reports on strikes
Hezbollah-affiliated Al Mayadeen reported later on Friday a drone strike in the southern Lebanese village of Rumman.
Two people were reportedly killed in the attack, which was targeting a motorcycle, Ynet reported, citing Lebanese media.
The IDF struck Rumman earlier this week, according to reports by Hezbollah-run Al Manar TV, after terrorists launched two explosive drones towards soldiers and prompted sirens in some areas in northern Israel.
Additional reports from Lebanese media on Friday said that two people had been killed from IDF strikes in Zutar a-Sharqiya in the Nabatieh Governorate in country’s south.
According to Lebanon’s National News Agency, the strikes hit a vehicle in the area.
The identities of those killed have not been released.
