IDF traps Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon tunnel after kidnapping alert

Israeli officials said the terrorists remain besieged inside the complex and that Israel is demanding their unconditional surrender.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Israeli security officials said dozens of Hezbollah terrorists remain trapped inside an underground complex in the village of Tibnit in southern Lebanon, while IDF forces have been placed on heightened alert over concerns that Hezbollah’s Radwan Force could attempt a kidnapping attack against Israeli soldiers.

The underground network was surrounded by Israeli forces during ground operations in the area.

Security officials said the complex, located near Nabatieh, was identified through intelligence gathered by the Military Intelligence Directorate and Northern Command.

After locating the site, IDF troops sealed the exits to prevent the terrorists from leaving the underground system.

Israeli officials said the terrorists remain besieged inside the complex and that Israel is demanding their unconditional surrender.

In recent days, messages were relayed to Israel through various mediators requesting that the trapped Hezbollah terrorists be allowed to leave the site unharmed.

Israeli officials rejected those requests, stating that the terrorists could either surrender or remain inside the encircled facility.

Security officials said the situation is being closely monitored and that ongoing assessments are being conducted as developments unfold.

The incident is also being viewed by Israeli officials as a potential model for a broader effort to remove Hezbollah terrorists and terror infrastructure from areas of southern Lebanon.

Officials said the outcome of the operation could inform similar actions in the future.

At the same time, military and security officials have expressed concern that Hezbollah’s Radwan Force may seek to exploit the situation by attempting to abduct Israeli soldiers operating in southern Lebanon.

As a result, IDF forces have been instructed to maintain a high level of operational readiness, increase vigilance, and move in groups while operating in the area.

Security officials said the southern Lebanon sector remains tense because of concerns over possible kidnapping attempts and continuing IDF operations aimed at removing immediate threats.

Military officials also assessed that portions of Hezbollah’s tunnel network and underground infrastructure in the region were designed, among other purposes, to facilitate kidnapping attacks and the movement of captured soldiers from combat zones. Israeli forces have therefore placed particular emphasis on locating and destroying such infrastructure as operations continue.