IDF detonates Hezbollah tunnel system near Beaufort Castle in response to drone strike violating ceasefire

The Israel Defense Forces detonated parts of the underground tunnel system beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon late Thursday, in response to a drone strike on Israeli troops by Hezbollah that violated the ceasefire.

“The powerful operation was carried out at this time following yesterday's blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement by the Hezbollah terror organization,” Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.

Ahead of the detonation, authorities warned residents of several northern Israeli towns to open their windows to prevent them from being shattered by the shock wave. Lebanon's Seismological Center recorded a magnitude 3.8 seismic event caused by the explosion.

The IDF publishes footage showing the demolition of Hezbollah's tunnel system beneath Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon. https://t.co/jQqbLYmLSB pic.twitter.com/jf7c5KHLgD

— Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian (@manniefabian) July 31, 2026

“The tunnels were blown up using approximately 700 tons of explosives… Israel will not accept any violation of the ceasefire agreement. Any attempt by Hezbollah to harm IDF forces or Israeli citizens will be met with a harsh and powerful response that will exact a heavy price,” Netanyahu and Katz said.

On Wednesday night, Hezbollah had launched an explosive drone at an IDF engineering vehicle operating in the Ali Taher Ridge area, the site of another massive underground complex, where Hezbollah operatives remain trapped. The ceasefire prevents the IDF from completing the capture of the site.

The IDF said it dismantled several key tunnels in Hezbollah’s underground network beneath southern Lebanon’s Beaufort Ridge.

According to the military, the multi-level complex was built over two decades with Iranian funding and served as a Bader Unit command center used to… pic.twitter.com/1gNopg6VjD

— Joe Truzman (@JoeTruzman) July 30, 2026

At the time, the IDF said that “the engineering vehicle was unmanned, and there were no casualties… In recent hours, the IDF has carried out artillery fire toward the area, and a decision is expected shortly on how to respond to Hezbollah over the ceasefire violation.”

It was the first Hezbollah attack since the framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon was implemented late last month.

The Israeli military had highlighted the underground infrastructure near the ancient Beaufort Castle through the publication of several updates and a guided press tour.

On June 3, we wrote about the IDF’s takeover of the Beaufort area and noted that this is not just another hill in southern Lebanon…
The important part of the story lies in what Hezbollah built— with direct Iranian assistance—inside the ridge, beneath the Beaufort fortress.
This… pic.twitter.com/4XASVQCHjA

— Israel-Alma (@Israel_Alma_org) June 7, 2026

Netanyahu and Katz noted that it was “a central part of the Hezbollah terror organization's invasion plan for the communities of the Galilee.” The IDF also stressed that during the ongoing war, it served “as a central command center from which Hezbollah terrorists and commanders managed combat and directed fire toward IDF soldiers and Israeli civilians.”

“Over the course of the war, dozens of UAVs, explosive devices, and anti-tank missiles were launched from this infrastructure toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers.”

The underground fortress had been built with Iranian planning and funding over the course of two decades. It also served as a central command center for Hezbollah's Badr Unit.

The military also noted that “soldiers continue to operate in the area of Ali Taher Ridge, remain on high alert, and are prepared for both defensive and offensive scenarios. Attacks on IDF soldiers will be responded to accordingly.”

Nevertheless, the IDF emphasized that it remains “committed to the ceasefire agreement in Lebanon.” Talks between the Lebanese government and Israel are set to continue with another meeting in Rome this coming week.

According to Channel 12 News, Israel will oppose any further withdrawals in southern Lebanon, vowing to hold the Yellow Line and the security zone until Hezbollah is disarmed.

“If the current pilot is successful and additional pilot areas are decided upon later, they will be beyond the yellow line. We will not allow further withdrawals of the area on our side. Until Hezbollah is disarmed in Lebanon — that is what was agreed upon,” an official said.