Israel says it demolished tunnels under Beaufort in southern Lebanon

<p> RIYADH: Israel said it has destroyed tunnels under Beaufort ridge in southern Lebanon belonging to Hezbollah, the prime minister and defense minister announced late on Thursday.</p> <p> The Israeli military used 700 tons of explosives to demolish what they say was a tunnel system belonging to the Lebanese group.</p> <p> Footage circulating online showed massive explosions causing ash to sweep across nearby towns and villages. </p> <p> The IDF released footage that they claimed showed the sites being used to store weapons and act as a Hezbollah command centre. </p> <p> Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz categorized the operation as a response to Hezbollah’s supposed violation of a truce agreed this week.</p> <p> “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,” a statement said.</p> <p> In a statement on Friday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Israeli army detonations near the UNESCO-listed Beaufort castle were a “direct threat” to a recent framework deal agreed with Israel.<br /> Aoun said the explosions “are an extremely dangerous escalation,” according to a statement from his office, adding that they “represent a direct threat to the process which was launched as part of the framework agreement.”</p> <p> He noted that their timing ahead of another round of talks with Israel in Rome next week “sends negative messages” and hinders international efforts to bring peace to Lebanon.</p> <p> The Israeli leaders said the military will remain in southern Lebanon to deal with Hezbollah infrastructure.</p> <p> According to the Times of Israel the demolition was planned for an earlier date but was postponed because of the framework deal reached in June. </p> <p> The IDF in its own statement said it demolished “several key underground routes in the Beaufort Ridge area.”</p> <p> “Over the past several weeks, IDF troops completed securing the Beaufort Ridge area, while taking control of and clearing the underground infrastructure and preparing it for destruction,” the military said.</p> <p> The Israeli military had already on July 13 demolished a tunnel near the Beaufort Ridge. </p> <p> The June deal called for the Lebanese military to deploy in areas in southern Lebanon where Hezbollah had previously held a military presence and influence, paving the way for Israel to withdraw from the buffer zone it holds in the south.</p> <p> Technical teams from each side will meet from August 4 to August 6 and focus on advancing the implementation of the framework agreement, meant to lead to an eventual peace deal between Israel and Lebanon.</p>