Israel says south Lebanon 'security zone' complete after blowing up Hezbollah tunnels

<a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/israel" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/israel">​​Israel</a>'s ​military blew up Hezbollah tunnels under ​the Ali Al Taher ridge on Thursday night, "completing the establishment of the security zone in southern <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/lebanon" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/tags/lebanon">Lebanon</a>", according to a statement from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office. The explosion caused "tremors and a loud bang that resonated strongly in Nabatieh and its region", Lebanon's National News Agency said. The Israeli military said it used more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to demolish two tunnels, which extended for more than 2km. It said last week that it had <a href="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/09/05/israel-widens-lebanon-strikes-after-announcing-control-of-strategic-ali-al-taher-ridge/" target="_blank" rel="" title="https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/mena/2026/09/05/israel-widens-lebanon-strikes-after-announcing-control-of-strategic-ali-al-taher-ridge/">cleared the area of Hezbollah fighters</a>, some of whom were killed while others fled. A joint statement by Mr Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the Ali Al Taher ridge contained “strategic terrorist infrastructure that was built over two decades, with Iranian funding and planning”. They added that its destruction “completes the achievement of operational control over the Ali Al Taher ridge – above and below ground.” “The terror infrastructure and the command centre on the ridge were designed to serve as the staging base for the conquest of the Galilee, and had observation and fire dominance over Metula and Kiryat Shmona,” Mr Netanyahu and Mr Katz said. They said Israeli forces would continue to occupy southern Lebanon in the “security zone”.