The Israeli military announced on Friday that its forces had withdrawn from the Ali al-Taher Heights in southern Lebanon and redeployed to rear positions in the Shqif area, following a large-scale military operation in the area over the past several hours.
The military said the heights would remain under what it described as “fire control,” warning that it would take military action against any attempt by Hezbollah to re-establish its presence there.
The withdrawal came hours after the Israeli military carried out a major explosion in the area, saying it targeted a network of tunnels and infrastructure belonging to Hezbollah that extended for more than two kilometers.
Lebanon’s National News Agency reported that the blast caused strong tremors and a loud explosion that was heard across large parts of Nabatieh Governorate. The National Geophysical Center also reported detecting ground waves generated by the explosion.
The Ali al-Taher Heights are located between Kfar Tibnit and Nabatieh al-Fawqa, north of the Litani River, and rise approximately 600 meters above sea level, giving them strategic military importance due to their commanding view over large areas of southern Lebanon.
The withdrawal, while retaining the threat of military force, indicates a shift from direct Israeli deployment on the heights toward surveillance and firepower aimed at preventing Hezbollah from redeploying there, amid ongoing diplomatic efforts over security arrangements in southern Lebanon.
