IDF takes over Hezbollah tunnel used to fire rockets at Israel

What Happened

Soldiers from the IDF’s 91st Division, 551st Brigade, took control of a 200-meter-long, 25-meter-deep Hezbollah tunnel in Majdal Zoun, about 10 kilometers into southern Lebanon, the IDF reported on Sunday. The tunnel contained four firing shafts that Hezbollah had regularly used to launch rockets at Israel; the IDF said the shafts were difficult to destroy from the air but can now be neutralized at close range. The Israeli military claimed it killed 20 Hezbollah operatives during the operation, including 10 members of the elite Radwan Force, and seized or destroyed around 50 items of terrorist infrastructure and munitions—including drones, anti-tank missiles, and lookout positions. Video published by the IDF showed rooms, rocket storage, and other seized materials. Separately, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Eyal Zamir described the eight-month-old ceasefire as 'shaky' and emphasized the military must be ready to resume attacks if required.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The capture of this tunnel demonstrates the IDF’s ability to operate deep inside southern Lebanon and degrade Hezbollah’s subsurface launch capabilities, which air strikes alone could not neutralize. The operation and the IDF chief’s comments highlight the enduring threat along the Israel–Lebanon border and the weakness of the current ceasefire, raising concerns of a potential escalation. The presence of Radwan Force members in the tunnel underscores the unit's persistent frontline role despite months of Israeli operations.

Watch For

Possible Hezbollah retaliation, either directly from Lebanon or via rocket fire from other undisclosed sites. Statements from Hezbollah’s leadership or Lebanon’s government on the tunnel’s loss and the reported Radwan casualties. Further IDF announcements about operations near Ali Taher Ridge and Beaufort Castle, as referenced by Zamir. Any renewal of cross-border exchanges that could test the ceasefire or prompt a wider IDF ground operation.