Video: Israel’s military chief says Hezbollah was ‘captured’ before ‘it was too late’

Last updated:Oct 29, 2024 09:26 IST

At least 16 people were killed in Israeli attacks on three villages in the city of Baalbek in eastern Lebanon

In a video posted by the Israeli military, Chief of General Staff LTG Herzi Halevi denounced countries that doubted that Hezbollah was operating from underground areas near the border with Lebanon.

Israel’s military chief said Monday that the Iran-backed group Hezbollah was preparing its border region for war before the Jewish state “captured” the Islamic entity and dismantled its infrastructure beyond repair.

In a video posted by the Israeli military, Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant General Herzi Halevi denounced countries that doubted that Hezbollah was operating from underground areas near the border with Lebanon. Speaking from a Hezbollah bunker in southern Lebanon, Halevi showed off a highly developed tunnel system reportedly used by the militant group to store its weapons.

“We are located not far from the border. There is a very developed tunnel system here with bathrooms, showers, kitchens and many weapons storage facilities. There is a room there that can accommodate an entire military company. It is possible to stay here, live here and equip yourself here and go east for an invasion of Israel,” the Israeli military chief said in a video posted in X.

‘We noticed this in time’

“We have been saying for years that Hezbollah is preparing the area on the border for war. To the countries that doubted it, to the UN, to the UNIFIL force stationed here… We noticed this in time, before it was too late, and this infrastructure must not return here in future generations,” Halevi said as he referred to the tunnel system.

This came as Israel continued to attack Lebanon on Monday. Lebanon’s health authority said Israeli attacks in Lebanon killed at least 2,710 people and injured 12,592 others over the past year. The war in Gaza has sparked a wider conflict in the Middle East, raising concerns about global oil supplies, with Israel bombing Lebanon and sending troops south to eliminate Hezbollah, an ally of Hamas.

The conflict also caused rare direct clashes between regional arch-enemies Israel and Iran. Israeli warplanes bombarded Iranian missile production sites over the weekend in retaliation for an October 1 Iranian missile salvo on Israel. Iran’s Foreign Ministry said Tehran “will use all available tools” to respond.

(With input from the agency)

Location:

Jerusalem, Israel