Israel Razes Hilltop Hezbollah Stronghold, Securing Buffer Zone in South Lebanon

After a siege lasting nearly three months, Israeli forces are now in control of a strategic hilltop in southern Lebanon dubbed Iran’s “second front” against the Jewish state.

The Ali al-Taher ridge — atop a more than three-mile-long underground warren of Hezbollah command centers and arsenals — was finally taken by the IDF on September 10. Israeli troops demolished underground bunkers and arms caches at the climax of an operation vital to securing the upper reaches of Israel’s buffer zone in Lebanon.

Control of the ridge had provided Hezbollah with a key vantage point over the Israeli border just six miles away, enabling the Iran-backed terrorist organization to run logistics to southern Lebanon from Nabatiyeh and other inland areas. According to the IDF, many of the Hezbollah operatives at the site were eliminated during its offensive, with some trying to flee the tunnels and others trying to bring reinforcements.

This latest defeat for Hezbollah — achieved despite an Iranian threat to attack Israel should its operation continue — graphically exposed the weakened position in which both the Tehran regime and its Lebanese proxy now find themselves.

Destroying Hezbollah’s ‘State Within A State’

The stronghold’s elimination marks the culmination of Israel’s half-year campaign to destroy Hezbollah’s state-within-a-state, with the goal of holding the area until the Lebanese Armed Forces prove capable of assuming control. It completes “the consolidation of the security zone in southern Lebanon,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a joint statement.

According to some reports, the Hezbollah fighters at Ali al-Taher had numbered in the dozens and were accompanied by Iranian advisers. Israeli sources have reportedly denied that any Iranians were present, however.

Iran claimed its personnel were present at Ali al-Taher as recently as September 3, hours before the IDF announced the capture of the site ahead of its destruction the following week. Iranian sources leaked what they claimed was a warning relayed by Tehran to the United States of its readiness to attack Israel should it order a more aggressive push against the strategic hilltop. Israel brushed off the threat, saying it would “return Iran to the Stone Age” if attacked.

Israeli Operation Exposes Iran Weakness Too

As U.S.-mediated peace talks between Israel and Lebanon proceed slowly, Jerusalem is taking action on the ground to ensure its security. In deference to the sensitive diplomacy, Israel conducted the operation at the ridge with commendable discretion.

Hezbollah’s failure to break the siege or hold off the Israelis further degrades its image of resilience. The Ali al-Taher operation has also underlined Iran’s vulnerability as the full weight of U.S. sanctions takes effect, alongside its naval blockade against Iranian oil exports and selective military strikes on Iranian targets.

Israel went public with its seizure of the strategic Hezbollah site just hours after the regime threatened to attack the Jewish state to prevent such a seizure. Such threats are familiar: on June 7-8, Iran launched missiles at Israel to avenge its bombing of Hezbollah targets in Beirut. Israel then retaliated with a direct sortie against Iran.

On this occasion, though, Iran did not muster a response. As a result, Hezbollah has sustained a serious blow, losing not only its commanding position in southern Lebanon, but the support of a patron that is suffering from both a major economic crisis and the severe degradation of its war-making capabilities.

Mark Dubowitz is the CEO of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from Mark and FDD, please subscribe HERE. Follow FDD on X @FDD. Follow Mark on X @mdubowitz. FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy.