The French newspaper "Libération" reported that the Lebanese militia Hezbollah possesses a network of secret tunnels that is more advanced than that of Hamas in Gaza. According to the newspaper, the Lebanese militia has tunnels extending hundreds of kilometers, with branches reaching Israel and possibly even further to Syria.
The report cited researchers and Israeli sources stating that Hezbollah has developed a defensive plan with dozens of operational centers equipped with underground local networks connecting Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, and southern Lebanon. Amid the ongoing escalation between Hezbollah and Israel, and the mutual threats exchanged, fears have grown in Tel Aviv regarding the presence of Hezbollah tunnels near the northern border, reaching as far as the Galilee hospital in Nahariya, located on Israel's northern coast.
Months ago, following complaints received by the Nahariya medical center about drilling noises, the Israeli army decided to conduct a series of ground tests to rule out concerns of a tunnel extending from Lebanon to the hospital. The Israeli newspaper "Israel Hayom" revealed that Israeli authorities carried out more than 40 digging operations over a month ago for testing purposes; however, these tests did not yield any findings. Consequently, the suspicion of tunnels in the hospital area was dismissed, and it was decided to cease excavation work after it had commenced.
The report highlighted that the Galilee hospital in Nahariya is geographically the closest hospital to the northern border with Lebanon, just about 10 kilometers away. It noted that the initial reports regarding the tunnel concerns emerged in December of the previous year. Furthermore, it stated that "the facility existed even before the Second Lebanon War (July 2006) and was the first of its kind in Israel under this plan." Additionally, fortifications will be enhanced in other parts of the hospital and at the helicopter landing pad, which is part of the preparedness effort; thus, the occupancy rate in the hospital remains only about 30%.
It is noted that the Israeli army announced five years ago the discovery of five tunnels dug by Hezbollah within Israeli territory. With the outbreak of war in Gaza, the Israeli newspaper "Jerusalem Post" indicated that there are concerns about the threat of Hezbollah tunnels once again. It emphasized that "Hezbollah has extensive experience in digging underground tunnels," and pointed out that "the tunnels of Hamas have been found to be much larger and more extensive than previously thought. Could the threat from Hezbollah's tunnels be greater than assumed?"
The "Alma" research and education center, which focuses on northern threats, stated that "after the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Hezbollah, with the help of North Koreans and Iranians, initiated a project to form a network of regional tunnels in Lebanon, which is much larger than Hamas's metro."
Southern Lebanon is not like Gaza; it has a different type of terrain, including rocky hills and valleys. Therefore, Israeli estimates do not even entertain the idea that "Hezbollah" succeeded in digging tunnels up to 10 kilometers deep into Israeli territory, as such an endeavor would require extraordinary efforts. The terrain in question consists of solid rock and mountains, and succeeding in tunneling through it would be a "military disgrace" rather than a mere failure, according to the center.
