In response to Hezbollah drone launches, Israel launched a series of airstrikes today on multiple Hezbollah targets. In the village of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, Israeli forces struck a terror command center operating inside a local hospital.
1+The strikes come after the IDF announced over the weekend it had cleared the underground complex at the Ali al-Taher ridge—a subterranean headquarters overlooking the city of Nabatieh that provides optimal control of the area.
Dozens of Hezbollah operatives had fortified this strategic position in recent weeks, and the IDF conducted an extended campaign to clear and seize it. Israel’s takeover of Ali al-Taher is deeply embarrassing for Hezbollah and has triggered widespread mockery from the group’s opponents in Lebanon on social media. Rami Balbal, a Lebanese citizen and Hezbollah critic, posted a video saying: “What’s going on with this gang of trash that belongs to Iran? They’re going to drive us crazy.” He continued: “For three months they’ve been declaring: ‘Ali al-Taher will not fall,’ ‘The Ali al-Taher ridge refuses to surrender to the enemy.’ You think you’re going to defend Iran and take what you want from Iran? You’ve been defeated!”
1+Hezbollah officials, in a series of media statements, are trying to downplay the Israeli achievement. They claim Netanyahu is trying to portray Ali al-Taher as far more important than it really is for electoral purposes, and that Israel hasn’t managed to control the entire ridge. Lebanese aren’t really buying it. According to Adnan, a Lebanese citizen and Hezbollah opponent who is also active on social media: “You’re making up that now the ridge is worthless? That there are others like it? These are your excuses? Either you’re collaborators or you’re charlatans!”
In recent days, tensions in southern Lebanon have escalated. Hezbollah, in coordination with Iran, is trying to heat up the sector—and what happened at the Ali al-Taher ridge increases the chances of renewed confrontation.