IDF destroys largest-ever Hezbollah tunnel system in southern Lebanon in earth-shaking explosion

The IDF demolished two large Hezbollah tunnels in the town of Qantara in southern Lebanon on Tuesday morning, which the military said had been built with assistance from Iran. 

The tunnels were part of what the Israeli military said was the largest Hezbollah tunnel "city" in southern Lebanon, with the total length of the tunnels spanning around 2 km (1.3 miles) and located about 10 km (6 miles) from Israel’s northern communities. 

The two tunnel systems, located near each other but not connected, were built over a period of a decade with Iranian funding, the IDF stated.

❗️ EXPOSED: Underground tunnel network built by Hezbollah in the Qantara area of southern Lebanon.

IDF troops located 2 underground Hezbollah tunnels, with a total length of ~2 kilometers, situated ~10 kilometers from Israel’s northern communities.

Inside the tunnels, soldiers… pic.twitter.com/Kq8NZlPzO7

— Israel Defense Forces (@IDF) April 28, 2026

The tunnel shafts, about 30 in total, descended to a depth of some 25 meters (82 feet) below ground, connecting to living quarters, bathrooms, showers, and hallways decorated with pictures of the former Iranian Supreme Leader, along with other regime officials. 

The destruction of the tunnels required the use of around 450 tons of explosives, generating blasts powerful enough to trigger earthquake warnings and prompting the IDF to give prior notification to communities across northern Israel. 

The IDF destroyed a massive Hezbollah tunnel; the force of the explosion caused a small earthquake to be felt along the northern border. pic.twitter.com/symjrjk7bT

— Amit Segal (@AmitSegal) April 28, 2026

In addition, the IDF located several weapons caches scattered throughout the tunnel systems that were allegedly to be used by Hezbollah’s Radwan Force fighters in anticipation of a long-planned invasion of the Galilee. 

The IDF described the discovery as the largest and most significant underground tunnel network uncovered to date in Lebanon, as it continues a broad campaign to locate and dismantle Hezbollah’s tunnel infrastructure in the south.

Lt.-Col. H., a member of the Yahalom special forces unit of the Combat Engineering Brigade, has spent two years dismantling a variety of tunnels in Gaza, Judea and Samaria, and southern Lebanon. He said this tunnel system was unique. 

WILD FOOTAGE 🔴

Full footage from inside a giant Hezbollah tunnel in Kantara, southern Lebanon. 25 meters underground, 10 km from the Israeli border. Tour led by a commander from the IDF's Yahalom engineering unit. pic.twitter.com/LmPDW57Yf0

— Open Source Intel (@Osint613) April 28, 2026

“We went through layer after layer, room after room, in every corner there was a weapon waiting for us, a well-equipped living room or another winding path,” he explained. Some sections of the tunnel were wider to accommodate the use of motorcycles to quickly traverse the tunnels. 

The system allegedly served as a staging ground for terror activity. “The place could concentrate hundreds to thousands of fighters and provide them with the necessary infrastructure," Lt.-Col. H. said, "as soon as they organize themselves with the equipment and everything they need, they can escape through one of the exits.” 

Following the demolition of the tunnels, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video statement saying that Israel is “destroying their [Hezbollah’s] terror infrastructure.” 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

"Today, we blew up a massive Hezbollah terrorist tunnel. We are destroying their terrorist infrastructure, we are killing scores of terrorists, and we are not done yet. pic.twitter.com/yNmroLbHHq

— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) April 28, 2026

“Today we blew up a massive Hezbollah terror tunnel,” Netanyahu said in the statement. “We are destroying their terror infrastructure, we are killing dozens of their terrorists, and our hand is still stretched out.” 

“We are operating within the security zone, south of the Litani, north of the Litani, in the Beqaa [Valley], and in northern Lebanon,” he continued. 

“And I gave an order several weeks ago for a special project to eliminate the drones. It will take time, but that too we will blow up.”

Netanyahu’s announcement about operations beyond the security zone came after several Hezbollah ceasefire violations, including a drone attack that killed Sgt. Idan Fooks, a 19-year-old soldier who was killed as the IDF was evacuating wounded soldiers. 

Besides destroying the two tunnels, the IDF said it also destroyed several ready-to-launch rocket launchers, weapons storage facilities, and military buildings belonging to Hezbollah in southern Lebanon.