A screenshot from Hezbollah's released video showcasing a network of tunnels.
BEIRUT — Hezbollah released a video on Friday showcasing the most explicit view of its tunnel network yet, confirming previous claims of the Iran-backed party's extensive network of tunnels in southern Lebanon.
The four-minute video, published by Hezbollah's "war media" channel, provided a look at a warren of interconnected underground passages dubbed "Imad 4," a reference to former Hezbollah commander Imad Moughnieh, a Hezbollah spokesperson told L'Orient Today.
Claims about Hezbollah's tunnel network have circulated for years, with social media posts from outside Lebanon questioning the group's underground capabilities.
While military experts have long speculated about these tunnels, concrete evidence has been scarce — until now.
The video, set to dramatic music, opens with a dimly lit entrance, leading viewers through tunnels large enough to fit rocket launchers.
"The Resistance today in Lebanon possesses weapons, equipment, capabilities, members, cadres, ability and expertise, stronger than ever before since its launch in the region," Hezbollah's Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah says in the video. "These targets are in our possession, and their coordinates are in our hands. These missiles are placed, deployed and focused on targets in perfect secrecy," Nasrallah said, with subtitles in both Hebrew and English.
The footage reveals tunnel walls draped with Hezbollah flags, and equipped with computers and various communication devices. The tunnels are lit with light bulbs, and the camera follows Hezbollah members on motorcycles as they tour the tunnel.
The tunnels also display an image of Imad Mughniyeh, the party's former military leader, who was assassinated in Syria in 2008 and was succeeded by Fouad Shukur, who was killed by an Israeli strike in Beirut's southern suburbs on July 30.
The recent assassination, coupled with the assassination of the political chief leader of Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh, heightened tensions in the region, amid fears of an all-out war between Israel and the "Axis of Resistance."
Why did Hezbollah reveal its secret tunnels now?
They explained the significance of the "number four," saying, "This is on purpose; to deliver the message that there exists one, two and three before it and five, six, seven after it. God knows how many [tunnels] there are after this one."
For his part, military expert Riad Kahwaji said he believes Hezbollah is aware that Israel is preparing a "massive operation" against it, and that the party released this video as a way to deter it.
"I believe it will either scare the Israelis enough to stop or make them more determined to proceed."
What are the weapons shown in the video?
"The weapons shown in the video are precision missiles," Hezbollah's spokesperson said. "Since the Resistance still takes into consideration its secrecy, this also means that what remains a secret is greater."
"This is the most explicit video Hezbollah has ever released showing the size of its tunnels, confirming reports that they were very long and big enough to accommodate trucks and missile launchers," Kahwaji told L'Orient Today.
When asked for details on the tunnels' length, width, or locations, Hezbollah's spokesperson declined to provide any information, stating only that the tunnel network is "the size of a city," and that other tunnel networks "are even bigger."
Kahwaji said he believes this tunnel might be "a facility to build missiles."
Going underground is both a military and practical strategy, especially when fighting against Israel, which poses the biggest threat from the air, Kahwaji said.
"If they are more than 20 meters deep, I doubt the Israeli air strikes will make a big impact," he added. "Hezbollah has some air defense capabilities but with limited effect on Israeli warplanes."
The video ended with a statement from Nasrallah, declaring that "Resistance rockets can reach the entirety of Palestinian territory, from Kiryat Shmona in the north to Eilat in the south."