Israeli defense minister threatens to “eliminate” anyone approaching the Ali al-Taher ridge in Lebanon

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz threatened on Sunday to “eliminate” anyone approaching the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, saying the army was preparing to take control of the area.

Katz claimed Israeli forces had killed Hezbollah fighters and destroyed their tunnels there and were preparing to prevent the group or any other party from re-establishing a presence.

He said the ridge forms part of what Israel calls the “yellow line” and a self-declared “security zone” inside Lebanon covering around 700 square kilometers.

He also said Israel would not withdraw or redeploy until Hezbollah is disarmed throughout Lebanon.

On Thursday, the Israeli army carried out a powerful explosion on the Ali al-Taher ridge, saying it destroyed a Hezbollah tunnel network and other infrastructure stretching more than two kilometers.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu later described the site as “the largest Iranian location outside Iran”.

The ridge lies north of the Litani river between Kfar Tibnit and Nabatieh al-Fawqa and overlooks large parts of southern Lebanon, giving it military strategic importance.

Earlier this month, Netanyahu claimed Israeli forces had completed the “cleansing” of the area.

Israeli strikes in Lebanon have killed nearly 4,400 people and wounded 12,500 others since March 2, according to official Lebanese figures.

Israel continues to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, including territory held for decades and other sites seized during recent wars and military operations.