IDF Destroys 538-Meter Hezbollah Tunnel in Majdal Zoun, Seizing a Strategic Drone and Weapons Hub
Updated
Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 19
IDF Destroys 538-Meter Hezbollah Tunnel in Majdal Zoun, Seizing a Strategic Drone and Weapons Hub
2 articles · Updated · The Jerusalem Post · Jul 19
Summary
A 538-meter tunnel in Majdal Zoun was destroyed by the IDF’s S-2 engineering platoon after troops spent five days locating the Hezbollah site, which the commander said stored weapons and housed a drone-assembly workshop for Unit 127.
Four blast doors weighing 5 to 7 tons each had to be cleared before demolition, after an earlier airstrike left steel debris blocking access about 1 meter below ground.
The final demolition required 140 trucks to bring in 84 tons of explosives overnight, with 50 soldiers unloading the material deep in hostile territory under drone, anti-tank and Hezbollah surveillance threats.
Lt. Col. D said the unit has shifted since Oct. 7, 2023 from bomb disposal to mapping and destroying strategic tunnels in Gaza and southern Lebanon, treating Hezbollah’s underground network as a system of operational assets rather than isolated shafts.
The commander said the tunnels support prolonged underground stays and functions including command, rocket and anti-tank launches, observation and drone operations, arguing that dismantling them is central to blunting Hezbollah’s broader Iranian-backed infrastructure.
Can new robotic 'torpedoes' and autonomous vehicles truly neutralize Hezbollah’s billion-dollar tunnel empire, built with Iranian and North Korean expertise?
With billions invested in its subterranean network, can Hezbollah adapt its tunnel strategy faster than the technologies now being deployed to destroy it?
What does Hezbollah’s vast tunnel network reveal about the decades-long failure of international peacekeeping forces to secure Lebanon's sovereign territory?
Israel Destroys Hezbollah’s Decade-Long Drone Facility in 2026: Strategic, Political, and Humanitarian Implications
Overview
In late June 2026, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) launched a major operation in southern Lebanon, targeting a sophisticated subterranean Hezbollah drone facility. This 'drone fortress' was a critical part of Hezbollah's military infrastructure and posed a direct threat to Israeli security. Built over a decade with direct Iranian planning and financial support, the facility featured massive steel blast doors and spacious tunnels, allowing for secure assembly and deployment of drones. The IDF's operation aimed to dismantle this strategic asset, neutralizing Hezbollah's capabilities and highlighting the ongoing regional tensions and the evolving nature of the threat.