Israel destroyed a deep Hezbollah tunnel full of weapons and launch shafts in southern Lebanon. The strike came shortly after the attack on the fighters near Nabatia.
The Israeli army has destroyed a tunnel used by the militant group Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz said on Sunday. TASR informs about it based on the AFP report.
- The Israeli army destroyed an extensive Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon.
- The tunnel contained hundreds of weapons and launch shafts for attacks against Israel.
- Israel informed the United States in advance of the planned destruction of the Lebanese tunnel infrastructure.
- The US brokered an agreement on the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon.
- Hezbollah rejects the agreement, considers the truce violated and announces armed self-defense.
“The tunnel, which is more than 200 meters long and more than 25 meters deep, contained hundreds of weapons as well as several launch shafts intended for attacks against the State of Israel and its civilians,” the officials said in a joint statement. “Israel notified the United States and its representative in Lebanon in advance of the destruction of this infrastructure,” Netanyahu and Kac added in a statement.
Strike after rocket launcher announcement
The strike came hours after the Israeli military said it attacked Hezbollah fighters and planted a rocket launcher in the area of the city of Nabatiya.
The US-brokered security deal agreed to by Lebanon and Israel on Friday provides for the gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from some locations in southern Lebanon and the deployment of the Lebanese army. For now, however, Israeli forces would be allowed to remain in the extended security zone. Hezbollah leader Naim Qasim rejected the agreement and called it a capitulation of the country. According to him, the movement will continue its armed resistance.
Israel refuses to leave
The Israeli prime minister said in a statement on Sunday that the army will remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and will “continue to destroy terrorist infrastructure, eliminate threats to communities in the north and protect the security of Israeli citizens,” writes Reuters.
Hezbollah said on Monday it reserves the right to self-defense after Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon, despite a ceasefire between the two sides. The movement “reemphasizes that the actions of the enemy constitute gross violations of the ceasefire and that it monitors, records and reserves the right to defend its homeland and its people.”
