Beirut, Lebanon, Aug. 5 (ANI): The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said troops operating in southern Lebanon have uncovered a weapons storage facility allegedly used by Hezbollah, along with an underground tunnel network.
In a post on X, the IDF said soldiers discovered a large weapons cache containing Kalashnikov rifles, anti-tank rockets, launchers, rockets, and other military equipment inside the facility.
“Additionally, IDF soldiers dismantled an underground tunnel that spans dozens of meters in the Srobbin area,” the military said, adding that the tunnel “was utilized by Hezbollah to advance and carry out terror attacks against IDF soldiers.”
The operations are part of the IDF’s ongoing efforts to dismantle Hezbollah’s cross-border military infrastructure and enhance security for communities in northern Israel.
Last week, the IDF said it dismantled several key underground tunnels beneath the Beaufort Ridge in southern Lebanon during what it described as a “limited activity” in the security zone, as U.S.-brokered Israel-Lebanon talks are set to resume in Rome this month.
According to the IDF, the tunnel network served as a central command center for Hezbollah, where commanders coordinated combat operations and directed attacks against Israeli troops and civilians.
The military said the underground complex consisted of multiple levels and had been constructed over two decades. It also alleged that the site served as the central command center for Hezbollah’s Bader Unit in southern Lebanon and was “planned and funded by the Iranian terrorist regime.”
The IDF said the network posed a threat to northern Israel because it was located about 4 miles (6 kilometers) from Metula and the Galilee Panhandle.
“Over the course of the war, dozens of UAVs, explosive devices, and anti-tank missiles were launched from this infrastructure toward Israeli civilians and IDF soldiers,” the IDF said.
The announcement comes as the seventh round of U.S.-mediated Lebanon-Israel talks began Tuesday in Rome with the goal of establishing new “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon from which Israeli forces would begin withdrawing and the Lebanese army would assume control.
According to Anadolu News Agency, the opening day of the negotiations focused on border issues and mechanisms to verify the implementation of security arrangements.
A senior Lebanese official told Anadolu that the afternoon session was divided into separate military and political meetings.
During the political meeting, the two sides discussed border issues, with Lebanon presenting its position, the official said. The military meeting focused on mechanisms for verifying implementation of security arrangements, including an Israeli withdrawal, Hezbollah’s weapons, and the role of a third party responsible for overseeing the process.
“Lebanon has not yet received responses from Israel’s political leadership regarding its commitment to the ceasefire,” the official told Anadolu.
This week’s round marks the second time Rome has hosted the negotiations, which are scheduled to last three days. Five previous rounds were held in Washington as part of a U.S.-mediated negotiating process. (ANI)
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