On the night of December 8, the Israeli military carried out airstrikes in the Iqlim al-Tuffah area, north of the Litani River, in a region located north of Nabatiyeh and southwest of Jezzine. The strikes targeted multiple sites, including a training compound belonging to Hezbollah’s Radwan Unit and several rocket-launch locations.
A report released Tuesday by the Israeli research center Alma, which specializes in security and defense, reveals that the area also contains an extensive Hezbollah tunnel network, described as strategic. Portions of the underground infrastructure stretch for dozens of kilometers, allowing the organization to move forces discreetly between different zones.
According to Alma, Hezbollah has been carrying out major fortification work in the area since 2008, using large amounts of construction materials. The work was executed by Hezbollah’s Jihad al-Bina organization, with the assistance of civilian companies linked to the group, under Iranian supervision and with support from the North Korean company Korea Mining Development Trading Corporation.
In an earlier report published in August 2021, Alma documented the scope of Hezbollah’s tunnels in southern Lebanon. The report notes that the network connects Hezbollah’s three strategic zones in Lebanon: the Beirut area, where its headquarters are located; the Bekaa Valley, which serves as the group’s logistical and operational backbone; and southern Lebanon, home to its primary defensive positions. The tunnels also link the first and second lines of defense, enhancing both troop mobility and operational security.
The network, Alma emphasizes, is not merely local. Since the 2006 War, Hezbollah has developed what the center calls the “Land of Tunnels,” an interregional project connecting its three strategic zones and southern defense lines, in cooperation with Iran and North Korea.
For Alma, this infrastructure represents a major strategic challenge for Israel, demonstrating Hezbollah’s ability to conduct operations from Lebanon while remaining partially shielded from surveillance and enemy strikes.
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