Israel’s takeover of the Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon could carry consequences far beyond the capture of a major Hezbollah underground complex, with the high ground potentially opening routes toward both Beirut and the Bekaa Valley, Israeli newspaper Maariv reported.

The Israeli military has completed its takeover of two main tunnels beneath the ridge, according to Maariv, which described the site as a major Hezbollah command complex and one of the movement’s most important fortified positions in southern Lebanon.

Israeli security officials cited by Maariv said the tunnels under Ali al-Taher were expected to be destroyed in the coming days.

But the strategic importance of the operation, the newspaper said, lies above ground as much as below it.

Ali al-Taher occupies a commanding position overlooking large parts of southern Lebanon. Its capture would give Israeli forces control of elevated terrain that Hezbollah had used as a key defensive position, while removing what Maariv described as the movement’s last organized defensive line in the area.

The newspaper argued that control of the ridge could therefore alter the military balance across a much wider area, opening potential routes toward Beirut to the west and the Bekaa Valley to the east.

That would make the loss of Ali al-Taher strategically significant beyond the destruction or seizure of the underground facilities themselves. The ridge’s elevation and position provide a vantage point over surrounding areas and could facilitate Israeli military movement deeper into Lebanese territory if Israel were to retain control of the position.

Maariv military correspondent said the ridge formed part of a broader network of strategic underground facilities that Iran helped build for Hezbollah over the years.

According to the report, the tunnels beneath Ali al-Taher were part of Hezbollah’s central command infrastructure and included extensive underground passages, command and communications facilities, computer rooms, an operations center, a medical clinic, areas for preparing troops and large weapons storage sites.

The Israeli military has referred to the two main tunnels, which extend for hundreds of meters and include branching passages, as Hezbollah’s “Kiryah” — or headquarters — in southern Lebanon, Maariv reported.

The complex was associated with Hezbollah’s Badr Force, according to the newspaper, and was designed to allow the group to maintain command and sustain military operations from fortified underground positions even during intense Israeli attacks.

Maariv said the network was built as part of Iran’s effort to establish a deeply fortified military infrastructure for Hezbollah. Other strategic facilities cited by the report include underground positions near Qantara opposite Israel’s Misgav Am area, an underground drone facility near Majdal Zoun and tunnel networks around Beaufort Castle that were intended to support a prolonged missile campaign against Israel.

The significance of Ali al-Taher, however, stems from its location as well as the infrastructure beneath it.

For Hezbollah, losing the ridge would mean surrendering a major piece of high ground that had served as a defensive barrier in southern Lebanon. For Israel, maintaining control of the position could provide a platform for further military operations and potentially expand access toward Lebanon’s interior.

Maariv described the development as a major milestone in the conflict, saying that with the organized defensive line on Ali al-Taher removed, the route toward Beirut and the Bekaa Valley was effectively opened.