According to The Times of Israel on July 2, 2026, the Israeli military said it carried out a precision airstrike that killed a Hezbollah operative after he emerged from an underground tunnel at the Ali Taher ridge in southern Lebanon.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the operative posed an immediate threat to troops conducting operations in the area. Soldiers from the Egoz Commando Unit reportedly detected him exiting the tunnel shaft, prompting the airstrike, which the military said enabled ground operations to continue without disruption.
The IDF said operations are ongoing around the Ali Taher ridge, where it believes Hezbollah maintains an extensive underground tunnel network. Israeli officials estimate that about 30 Hezbollah operatives remain inside the tunnel complex.
According to the military, the objective is to prevent Hezbollah fighters from leaving the tunnels or moving across the ridge while dismantling the underground infrastructure. The IDF said it considers the facility a significant operational base for Hezbollah and remains focused on restricting the group’s movements and reducing the risk of attacks against Israeli forces.
