Israel’s demolition of two tunnels extending two kilometers through Ali al-Taher ridge brought movement in south Lebanon’s Nabatieh city to a standstill and deepened fears over what comes next.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel was ready to press ahead with its campaign and continue striking Hezbollah and other sites.
The Israeli military carried out a powerful explosion on Ali al-Taher ridge, on the outskirts of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, causing tremors and a loud blast that echoed strongly across Nabatieh and the surrounding area, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency.
The US Geological Survey recorded a magnitude 4.1 seismic event in southern Lebanon. Lebanon’s National Center for Geophysics, which is affiliated with the National Council for Scientific Research, said ground waves were detected at 9:08 p.m. on Thursday by all its monitoring stations.
The center said the waves “resulted from the explosion carried out by the Israeli enemy in the Ali al-Taher area and could be compared to a magnitude 4.2 earthquake on the Richter scale.”
A difficult night
Residents of southern Lebanon endured “a difficult night.”
“The ground shook beneath us for about five seconds,” said one resident living 20 kilometers from Ali al-Taher.
“The sound of the explosions was faint, but the doors shook around us,” the resident told Asharq Al-Awsat. “It felt like an earthquake that ended after five seconds.”
A resident of the town of Marjeyoun said the ground “shook beneath us, and we saw the houses shaking,” underscoring the force of the blast, “before columns of flames rose into the air.”
“I began seeing the explosions. There were between seven and eight, with columns of flames rising to varying heights,” the resident told Asharq Al-Awsat.
“The sky glowed red. The scene was terrifying and frightening. The children panicked, and within minutes, dust began reaching us, covering the trees, cars and rooftops.”
“The smell of gunpowder choked us, forcing us to close the windows again,” the resident said, adding that sunrise revealed a thick layer of dust covering the town.
Residents of Qlayaa and Marjeyoun said windows and doors were shattered by the blast in homes on the western edges of the two towns overlooking Ali al-Taher.
The tremors and sounds of the explosions carried over long distances. Residents living 20 kilometers from Ali al-Taher said they saw flashes and flames and felt the ground shake, although the sound was not loud. Residents of Marjeyoun, by contrast, reported hearing powerful explosions.
NNA said the Khardali road was completely blocked after the overnight blast caused rocks and stones to tumble onto the roadway.
Residents’ fears
Daylight revealed a changed landscape. The explosion and Israel’s threats to continue its bombardment and demolitions deepened residents’ fears as they wondered what would come next.
Local sources in Nabatieh said many residents who had returned to the city “left again for fear that the war would resume or the fighting would expand.”
People are asking about “the next phase,” which remains unclear even to the Lebanese state. Beirut is continuing contacts with the United States aimed at de-escalation and resuming negotiations through an eighth session with Israel expected to be held this month. The Lebanese presidency has not yet been informed of the date.
Residents fear the fighting could spread toward Nabatieh following the demolition of Ali al-Taher.
“No one can guarantee what will happen,” one resident said. “The Israeli statements are alarming.”
Fighters’ fate unknown
Hezbollah issued no official statement on the Ali al-Taher demolition, while the fate of its fighters suspected of having been inside the tunnels remained unknown.
An Israeli military official told AFP that some fighters who had been operating in the highlands had left the area, while others were eliminated by airstrikes and artillery fire.
The Israeli military said last week that it had taken control of the highlands, located north of the Litani River on the edge of the Israeli-occupied area in southern Lebanon.
Supporting returning residents
Meanwhile, the Lebanese government is seeking to help returning residents remain in areas where the fighting has subsided.
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam received a delegation from the municipality of Kfar Rumman, which borders Ali al-Taher and was subjected to continuous bombardment for three months. The delegation presented a series of demands related to residents’ return and the area’s recovery.
Salam said the Council for Development and Reconstruction would soon begin implementing projects in the area after completing the necessary preparatory procedures.
He said he was also following up with the Council of the South on projects concerning the town.
Salam asked the municipality to prepare a list of its most urgent priorities and needs and to survey families in need of help with shelter or prefabricated homes. Priority would be given to the neediest families with no alternative housing, given the limited resources and capabilities available.
Salam said the Israeli attacks on Kfar Rumman, which killed and wounded civilians, including children, were being documented by the National Committee for International Humanitarian Law, chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri.
The delegation called for a stronger deployment of the Lebanese army, particularly along roads leading to Khardali and Dawhet Kfar Rumman, as well as a greater security presence in the town, especially by the Internal Security Forces.
Salam said efforts were continuing to reinforce the presence of the army and security forces to reassure residents and strengthen stability.
