Complex Tunnels and Advanced Arsenal: What Awaits the Occupation in Confrontation with Hezbollah

A report published by the British newspaper “The Telegraph” emphasized the significant threat posed by the complex tunnel network that Hezbollah has constructed underground against the Israeli occupation. This comes amid the escalating brutal aggression on Lebanese territories.

The report notes that Hezbollah received Iranian support and technology from North Korea to build these tunnels, which could be used in any future conflict, posing a serious challenge to Israel.

The report highlights the existence of a wide tunnel that extends for half a mile and reaches a depth of 260 feet, from the Galilee region into the depths of the earth. The tunnel was entirely dug using manual equipment, as evidenced by the cylindrical marks on the tunnel walls, left by hand-held drills.

In May 2020, the newspaper’s correspondent toured the tunnel with a commander in the Israeli occupation army, at a time when a full-scale Israeli invasion of Lebanon was merely a distant possibility.

As the likelihood of a ground invasion draws nearer, the tunnel offers a glimpse of the kind of challenges that Israeli forces will face. It forms part of Hezbollah’s extensive arsenal, according to the report.

The newspaper quoted Israeli Colonel Roy Yusef Levy, who said that the tunnel took 14 years to build and, had it not been discovered, could have been used for a surprise attack on the north.

Multi-purpose Tunnels

Hezbollah recently released footage showing a truck equipped with rocket launchers passing through long, winding tunnels. The same video included scenes of Hezbollah fighters riding motorcycles through tunnels surrounding the command center “Imad 4,” a complex inspired by similar bases in Iran and North Korea.

According to the report, Hezbollah began expanding the tunnels after the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war. Israel claims that the tunnels are intertwined with houses in villages near southern Lebanon, with some Israeli analysts dubbing the area “The Land of Tunnels,” saying it draws direct experience from similar tunnel networks in Iran and North Korea.

In this context, Israeli intelligence analyst Ronen Solomon said, “Destroying them will be extremely complicated. If Israel intends to attack the tunnels, it will need to target the buildings, which will inevitably lead to the start of a war.”

Solomon spoke about five different types of tunnels: “Offensive tunnels near the border with Israel, logistical tunnels in southern Lebanon, tunnel systems created to smuggle supplies through Syria, tunnels designated for storing missiles and air defense systems, and tunnels used as underground rocket launch platforms.”

Advanced Arsenal

The report continues, stating that the tunnels located in southern Lebanese villages form just a small part of Hezbollah’s arsenal, which is considered far more advanced and extensive compared to the primitive weapons possessed by Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Hezbollah is believed to possess tens of thousands of missiles, including precision-guided weapons such as the Iranian Fajr-110 and the Syrian M-600 missile.

According to the newspaper, Hezbollah managed to acquire an Israeli “Spike” anti-tank missile during the 2006 war, later handing it over to Iran, which produced its own version called “Almas.” The missile can target objectives beyond the line of sight, posing a significant threat to Israeli soldiers on the border.

The report added that Hezbollah possesses thousands of small missiles, such as the unguided Falaq-1 and Falaq-2 missiles and Katyusha rockets. Its missile capability has evolved significantly compared to the 2006 war, during which Hezbollah relied on the Iranian Fajr-5 missile.

Dror Doron, an advisor for the “United Against Nuclear Iran” organization, confirmed that “Imad Mughniyeh, Hezbollah’s military commander at the time, was the one who initiated the rearmament process. After Mughniyeh’s assassination in 2008, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps took over the project, which was based on Iranian support.”

Delayed Response

According to the Telegraph report, the smuggling of ballistic missiles into Lebanon via Syria prompted Israel to launch air raids in Syria in 2014, targeting convoys loaded with missiles. However, Israel refrained from targeting Hezbollah inside Lebanon during this earlier period, only launching extensive operations against the group in recent days.

United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, issued in 2006, called for a permanent ceasefire and Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon. However, Hezbollah continued to develop its military capabilities and missile arsenal with support from Tehran, according to the report.

Yaakov Amidror, a former head of Israel’s National Security Council, believes that “Israel made a grave mistake by not decisively confronting Hezbollah earlier,” noting that “Israel’s current goal is to prevent Hezbollah from repeating its attacks and to reduce its military capabilities,” the report stated.

Since Monday morning, the Israeli occupation has carried out hundreds of intense and unprecedented airstrikes on various sites in southern Lebanon, resulting in the martyrdom of more than 728 people and the injury of 2,658 others, including children, women, and medics, according to the latest figures from the Lebanese Ministry of Health.

These developments come just days after the explosion of wireless communication devices, including “pager” and “walkie-talkie – ICOM V82,” in different areas of Lebanon, causing 32 deaths and injuring around 3,250 others.

In response, Hezbollah continues to expand its operations against the Israeli occupation, broadening the scope of its targets in retaliation for Israel’s ongoing crimes in Lebanon since the beginning of the major Israeli escalation earlier this week.