Israel said Thursday that it had destroyed a major Hezbollah underground tunnel network beneath the Beaufort Castle in southern Lebanon, using approximately 700 tons of explosives in one of the largest demolition operations carried out since the start of the conflict.

The operation was confirmed in a joint statement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz, who said the Israeli military had blown up the subterranean complex in the Beaufort area, also known as al-Shaqif Castle, shortly after midnight. The explosion sent shockwaves across southern Lebanon and illuminated the night sky over the historic ridge.

According to the statement, the tunnel network was a key Hezbollah military installation and formed a central component of what Israel described as the group’s plan to infiltrate communities in the Galilee region of northern Israel.

“The State of Israel will not accept any violation of the ceasefire agreement,” Netanyahu and Katz said. “Any attempt by Hezbollah to harm Israeli troops or Israeli civilians will be met with a severe and powerful response that will exact a heavy price from the terrorist organization.”

The two Israeli officials said the demolition had originally been planned for an earlier date but was postponed because of the ceasefire. They said the decision to carry it out now was a direct response to what they described as Hezbollah’s “blatant” violation of the ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, when the group allegedly targeted an unmanned Israeli military engineering bulldozer with an explosive drone.

The Israeli military said the operation was carried out by forces from the IDF’s 36th Division under the Northern Command as part of a targeted operation inside Israel’s designated security zone in southern Lebanon.

In a separate statement, the IDF said troops had destroyed “several key underground routes in the Beaufort Ridge area” after spending weeks securing the site, taking control of the underground infrastructure, clearing it, and preparing it for demolition.

The military said it had previously destroyed a tunnel branch connected to the Beaufort network on July 13, and that the latest operation had eliminated most of the remaining underground system in the area.

According to the IDF, the tunnel complex had been constructed over roughly two decades with Iranian funding and planning and served as the central headquarters of Hezbollah’s elite Badr Unit in southern Lebanon. Located about six kilometers from the Israeli border town of Metula, the facility reportedly included multiple underground levels, living quarters for fighters, weapons storage areas, and command infrastructure.

The military said the network had been used to coordinate anti-tank missile attacks and drone operations targeting Israeli troops and civilians, and that dozens of drones, loitering munitions, and anti-tank missiles had been launched from the area.

“The existence of this infrastructure posed a threat to the residents of northern Israel and to our forces,” the IDF said.

Netanyahu and Katz said the destruction of the tunnel network was part of what they called a systematic campaign to dismantle Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in southern Lebanon.

They added that Israeli forces would remain in the security zone in southern Lebanon and continue destroying what they described as terrorist infrastructure in order to prevent Hezbollah from rebuilding its military capabilities.

The IDF said its forces continue to operate in the nearby Ali Taher Ridge area while maintaining a high level of defensive and offensive readiness. Israel says Hezbollah maintains another large underground tunnel complex beneath the Ali Taher Ridge, near Nabatiyeh, where dozens of operatives are still believed to be hiding.

The military said any attack on Israeli forces would receive an appropriate response.

Lebanese media reported that a series of powerful explosions shook several areas across southern Lebanon shortly after midnight, with the strongest blasts concentrated around Yahmor al-Shaqif and Hadatha. The explosions were reportedly heard across villages and towns throughout the south, with echoes reaching the city of Sidon and surrounding areas.

Reports from the Nabatiyeh and Marjayoun districts said secondary explosions and clearance operations continued for hours after the initial blasts.

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