IDF troops in Lebanon discover tunnel in residence building, capture Hezbollah soldier hiding there

The IDF spokesman on Sunday announced that forces operating in southern Lebanon over the weekend had discovered an underground tunnel shaft in a building, leading to a terrorist hideout, and had captured a terrorist hiding in the tunnel."

The troops approached the building and after encircling it, scanned the tunnel shaft, and discovered an underground compound at a depth of approximately 7 meters (23 feet). At the bottom of the shaft was a 50-meter (165-foot) hideout, where a Hezbollah terrorist was hiding alongside weapons and equipment, allegedly for a long-term stay. In the video released on Sunday, one of the commanders can be heard ordering the Hezbollah operative to leave his clothes outside the tunnel and surrender. 

The terrorist can be heard telling him, “I'm waiting for you. Do you want a cigarette? A cigarette with coffee and five thousand dollars.” 

The terrorist is then seen exiting the tunnel in his underwear with his hands above his head. 

The IDF also released pictures of the tunnel shaft and the terrorists following his apprehension. 

IDF troops, in particular the 36th Division, have continued limited localized and targeted military activity in southern Lebanon against Hezbollah forces. As part of the activity, the Israeli Air Force struck Hezbollah launchers, anti-tank missile posts, weapons storage facilities and additional targets. 

The IDF Spokesman’s Office stated that Israeli troops struck approximately 200 Hezbollah targets deep in Lebanon and southern Lebanon, including terrorist cells, launchers, anti-tank missile posts and infrastructure over the weekend. 

Troops from the 8th Brigade combat team and the elite LOTAR counter-terror unit found weapons warehouses located inside civilian residences, the IDF said. 

The military said the forces are engaged in hand-to-hand combat, eliminating terrorists and destroying infrastructure that Hezbollah has deployed along the border. 

Among the weapons found by the soldiers, were rockets, Kornet anti-tank missiles, grenades, mortar shells (including some from Israel), mines, Kalashnikov rifles, and ammunition intended to be used by the terror group's Radwan force during an invasion. 

The forces also located an additional underground tunnel shaft located in a residential area.

The #IDF finds a tunnel shaft (square on the right) to underground infrastructure storing many weapons & missiles in a #Lebanese village. #Hezbollah uses civilians for #humanshields like Hamas. #HezbollahWarCrimes #IDFHeroes #Israelatwar #Israel #disgusting #cowards #NeverAgain pic.twitter.com/DgUQEPLn4O

— Ora Levitt 🇮🇱 חיילת צה"ל 🇮🇱 עם ישראל חי (@IDFsoldiergirl) October 13, 2024

The troops are operating under the 91st Division, which saw significant operations in the Gaza Strip over the past year, before shifting to the northern front. 

The Israeli military issued additional calls for Lebanese civilians to evacuate an additional 21 villages in south Lebanon amid intense fighting with Hezbollah forces.

“The IDF has no intention of harming you. For your own safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move immediately to the north of the Awali River,” IDF Arabic-language spokesman, Col. Avichay Adraee, posted to 𝕏. “To ensure your own safety, you must evacuate without delay.”

Adraee also warned: “Anyone who is near Hezbollah operatives, facilities or weapons is putting their life in danger.”