IDF says it destroyed Hezbollah tunnel that crossed into Israel but had no exit point

Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent

An image released by the IDF on October 8, 2024, showing the location of a Hezbollah tunnel that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon and has been demolished. (Israel Defense Forces)
An image released by the IDF on October 8, 2024, showing the location of a Hezbollah tunnel that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon and has been demolished. (Israel Defense Forces)

Israeli forces have demolished a small Hezbollah tunnel that crossed into Israeli territory from Lebanon by several meters, the military announces.

According to the IDF, the 20-meter-long tunnel had no exit in Israeli territory, and its path crossed the UN-recognized Blue Line by about 10 meters, in the western sector of the border, near the Lebanese village of Marwahin, just across from the Israeli community of Zar’it.

No towns were ever under any threat by the tunnel, the military says.

According to Israeli military assessments, Hezbollah began the construction of the tunnel about two years ago, and it was quickly identified by the IDF. The military says it wanted to keep tabs on the tunnel as it was being built, rather than reveal to Hezbollah that it had intelligence of the underground route.

The tunnel was then physically located by commandos during raids in southern Lebanon several months ago, though the military stresses that it was previously known to the IDF and it had full control over the area.

The military says troops searched the tunnel and found weapons inside, including explosives and anti-tank missiles.

Now that the IDF is operating in southern Lebanon with larger forces, it says it took the opportunity to demolish the tunnel.

According to the IDF, there are no other known tunnels that cross into Israel from Lebanon.

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