Israel seizes strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon

Israeli forces announced they have taken operational control of the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, a high‑ground position that overlooks the Nabatiyeh area and has long been a focal point of the Israel‑Hezbollah war. The operation, reported by several outlets on Friday, marked the culmination of a series of offensives launched after a ceasefire was declared in June.

"The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists,"

Media additions

Israel Katz, Defence Minister, via JNS

The Defence Minister said the ridge’s underground network – described by the Israeli army as a “strategic underground network built over two decades with Iranian funding and planning” – had been cleared of fighters. The Israeli military confirmed that troops from the 36th Division had secured both the surface and the tunnels, describing the infrastructure as encompassing command centres, weapons‑storage rooms, generator rooms, living quarters, showers and a kitchen that allowed militants to operate underground for extended periods.

According to the army, the operation neutralised two central routes within the complex. While some Hezbollah militants were reported killed, others fled the area. A Lebanese military officer noted that Israeli troops seized the southern entrances to the tunnel system and could now monitor the northern entrances with surveillance drones, though it remained unclear whether any fighters still occupied the network or had left booby‑traps.

Hezbollah has not immediately commented on the loss of the ridge, and Reuters was unable to verify the status independently. Nevertheless, the capture is being framed by Israeli officials as a decisive step toward broader strategic aims.

"Prime Minister Netanyahu and I are leading a clear and uncompromising policy, implemented every day by the IDF: Israel will not withdraw from the security zone in Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon and the threats to the residents of the Galilee are removed,"

Israel Katz, Defence Minister, via JNS

Katz added that the ridge represented Hezbollah’s “last commanding position protecting the Nabatiyeh area,” and that its seizure was “an important step toward achieving” the goal of disarming the militia throughout Lebanon. He said a “strict information blackout” had been imposed to protect troops during the operation.

The ridge’s capture came amid a broader surge in hostilities. An Israeli air strike on the town of Kfar Reman, targeting a motorcycle, killed two civilians, the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health confirmed. The strike occurred near the ridge, which the Israeli army said it had captured, while Hezbollah again refrained from confirming any loss of ground.

State‑run Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) listed additional targets hit by Israeli raids and artillery that day, naming al‑Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, Buyout al‑Sayyad, Beit Lif and Srebbine in the Tyre district, as well as Zawtar al‑Sharqiyah and Mayfadoun in Nabatiyeh. The agency reported no casualties in those attacks.

The latest flare‑up follows a pattern of escalation that began on March 2, when Israel launched a renewed campaign after Hezbollah rockets struck Israeli territory in retaliation for U.S.–Israeli strikes that killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lebanese authorities say the conflict since then has killed more than 4,000 people and injured at least 12,000, while displacing over a million residents.

Two truce frameworks mediated by the United States were signed in June. The first, on June 4, required a “complete cessation” of Hezbollah fire and the evacuation of its fighters south of the Litani River. The second, on June 26, linked any Israeli withdrawal to the full disarmament of Hezbollah. Both agreements remain fragile as fighting continues across the south.

In parallel with the military push, confidence‑building measures were undertaken. Israeli authorities transferred four Lebanese detainees to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for hand‑over to Lebanese officials. The move was described as part of the U.S.–brokered talks, and Israeli officials said none of the five detained individuals were found to have ties to militant groups.

"Many families in Lebanon are still waiting for answers about the fate of loved ones who may be detained, deceased, or otherwise unaccounted for,"

International Committee of the Red Cross, via Northweststar

Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun called the release a “first batch,” hinting that further detainees could be freed. Meanwhile, a committee advocating for Lebanese citizens in Israeli custody maintains that dozens remain imprisoned, with some held for weeks and others for months.

The Israeli army said work on “neutralising” the ridge’s underground structure will continue. Once the tunnels are fully cleared, the IDF plans to adjust its defensive posture based on the evolving situation, a statement that underscores that the operation is not yet complete.

Observers note that the ridge’s elevation gives whoever controls it a commanding view over large swathes of southern Lebanon, a factor that has made it a recurring flashpoint. The network’s longevity – built up over “more than two decades” with Iranian support – reflects Tehran’s