Full Breakdown
IDF Destroys Two Major Hezbollah Tunnels in Qantara, Southern Lebanon
4/28/2026, 11:46:36 PM
Background and Operation
Since early March 2026 the IDF has been fighting Hezbollah after rocket attacks from southern Lebanon. A cease-fire declared on 17 April has not stopped sporadic clashes. In 2024 the IDF uncovered underground facilities in Rab al-Thalathin and Mays al-Jabal, linking them to Iranian-backed plans for a Galilee invasion. On 28 April 2026 the IDF’s 36th Division—supported by the 7th Armored Brigade, the 1st “Golani” Brigade, commandos and the Yahalom engineering unit—raided Qantara, about 10 km from the border, and located two concealed tunnels.
The tunnels, each extending deep beneath civilian structures to about 25 m depth, were destroyed with over 450 tons of explosives, producing a controlled blast recorded by Israel’s seismic warning system but without public sirens.
Data Summary
- Two unconnected tunnels, total length about 2 km (800 m western, 1.2 km eastern) and depth up to 25 m.
- Roughly 30 rooms (including 10-room sections with bunk beds, water tanks and equipment) and about 30 shafts, some fitted with rocket launchers aimed at Israel.
- Over 450 tons of explosives used for demolition.
- Drone-related combat killed Sgt. Idan Fooks (19) and wounded six soldiers; the IDF says it has killed more than 1,900 Hezbollah operatives since the 2024 escalation.
Official Statements
The IDF called the tunnels “built to Iranian standards” and part of a “plan to conquer the Galilee,” stressing they were staging grounds for hundreds of operatives and for storing Iranian-origin weapons. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the strike was part of an ongoing effort to dismantle Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure. The IDF noted its anti-drone capabilities remain incomplete, citing recent attempts to intercept FPV drones over southern Lebanon.
Criticism, Opposition & Gaps
Hezbollah asserted that it continued targeting Israeli forces in Qantara after the tunnels were destroyed and framed the Israeli strike as a provocation rather than a defensive act. One source describes the network as “two kilometres long and 10 km wide,” while another specifies an 800 m western tunnel and a 1.2 km eastern tunnel, leaving the full extent of the underground complex unverified by independent observers.
Verbatim Quotes
- “direct guidance” — IDF statement.
- “funded by the Iranian terror regime and as part of Hezbollah’s plan to conquer the Galilee,” — IDF statement.
- “Today we blew up a huge Hezbollah terror tunnel. We are destroying their terror infrastructure, we are killing many dozens of their terrorists -- and we're not done yet,” — Benjamin Netanyahu.
- “designed, sponsored and paid for by Iran” — IDF description.
What’s Next
The IDF will keep targeting Hezbollah’s underground and drone assets, reviewing recent interceptor missile attempts; Division 36 is shifting to clearing operations in Qantara, and the U.S.-backed cease-fire extension may shape the timing of further Israeli actions.
