Sept 10 (Reuters) - The Israeli military destroyed Hezbollah underground infrastructure at the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said on Thursday, adding that the operation completed the consolidation of a security zone in the area.
Israeli forces would remain in the area to prevent the Iran-aligned Hezbollah militant group from re-establishing its presence and rebuilding its capabilities, the two officials said in a joint statement.
The Ali al-Taher ridge, about 15 km (10 miles) from the Israeli border, has become one of the most contested areas of the war between Israel and Hezbollah. Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command centre and weapons stores there, according to Lebanese security sources who spoke to Reuters in July.
Lebanon's state news agency NNA said the Israeli military carried out a powerful blast at the ridge, with tremors and the sound of the explosion felt across Nabatieh and surrounding areas.
The Israeli military said its forces had established "operational control" over the ridge, both above and below ground, before dismantling the infrastructure. The network extended for more than 2 km (1.24 miles) and contained dozens of rockets, missiles and drones, as well as anti-tank missiles, mines and explosive devices, it said.
The military said a central command complex belonging to Hezbollah's Badr unit was located within the underground infrastructure. The complex contained command centres, weapons storage rooms and living quarters that allowed fighters to remain underground for extended periods, it said.
Israel has pushed into southern Lebanon and seized several strategic positions since the conflict erupted on March 2.
The ridge has been one of Israel's main operational focuses and lies within an expanded, self-declared Israeli buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
A U.S.-brokered framework agreed after a June ceasefire called for Israeli forces to gradually withdraw from southern Lebanon while Lebanese troops disarm Hezbollah. The process has stalled, however, with Hezbollah refusing to give up its weapons and Israel saying it will not withdraw until the group disarms.
(Reporting by Yomna Ehab and Enas Alashray; Editing by Chris Reese and Rosalba O'Brien)
