IDF exposes Hezbollah tunnels built to attack northern Israeli communities

The Israel Defense Forces announced on Saturday that troops from the 36th Division are clearing a large Hezbollah subterranean tunnel network beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon. According to the military, the tunnels were built with Iranian funding and were intended to facilitate attacks against northern Israeli communities.

The discovery comes as Washington and Tehran are reportedly preparing to sign a memorandum of understanding aimed at ending the war.

The expected agreement is believed to include provisions related to Lebanon, raising concerns in Israel that it could limit the Jewish state's freedom of action against the Iranian-backed terrorist group Hezbollah.

Israeli forces seized the strategically important Beaufort Ridge two weeks ago as part of efforts to push Hezbollah farther from the Israeli border.

"The operation is focused on establishing operational control of the Beaufort Ridge and the Wadi al-Saluki area, as well as degrading the Hezbollah terrorist organization and dismantling terrorist infrastructure that was established on the ridge under Iranian direction," the Israeli military stated in late May.

The military stressed that the ridge served as a key Hezbollah operational hub.

"From Beaufort Ridge, Hezbollah terrorists managed military and combat activities and carried out numerous attacks. In addition, IDF soldiers are operating against launch infrastructure in the area, from which hundreds of projectiles were launched toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers," the statement continued.

The military said troops discovered maps inside one of the tunnel complexes that highlighted the threat posed to civilians living in northern Israel. Soldiers also found weapons and other equipment left behind by Hezbollah operatives as they fled the area.

After securing operational control, the IDF plans to destroy the tunnel system to prevent future infiltrations into Israel.

U.S. President Donald Trump reportedly recently told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that it was time to end the war with Iran and that Washington had secured a “great” deal with the Iranian regime.

Netanyahu expressed Israel's continuing security concerns but reportedly refrained from challenging Trump's claims.

A senior U.S. official acknowledged on Friday that Israel has legitimate security concerns as negotiations with Tehran continue.

"I understand the Israeli skepticism," the U.S. official told media reporters. "Hezbollah killed a lot of innocent Israelis, especially Israeli civilians. So we don't expect any country to give up their right of self-defense."

"What we do expect is that if we're able to have everyone participate in the peace process, that everyone else will do the same," the official argued, adding that Washington believes Israel will eventually accept the Iran deal.

However, unnamed senior Israeli officials who spoke with Israeli Channel 12 News warned that “The agreement with Iran endangers security interests” for the State of Israel.

“The Iranians don't agree to this framework agreement for nothing,” the senior Israeli officials assessed, claiming that Washington has largely accepted Tehran's conditions for the deal.

The Iranian regime has vowed to continue its nuclear enrichment program, maintain its missile program and continue supporting regional terrorist proxies, including Hezbollah.

The exact contents of the reported agreement have not been publicly disclosed.

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced that the military is preparing plans for renewed action against Iran and its proxies if deemed necessary.

Jerusalem has also stressed that it will not allow any agreement between Washington and Tehran to restrict its freedom to defend itself against security threats.