A Hezbollah flag in the ruins of a building bombed by Israel, in Hermel, in November 2024. Photo Mohammad Yassine / L'Orient-Le Jour
BEIRUT — The U.S. Central Command (Centcom) has welcomed the discovery and dismantling by the Lebanese Army of a Hezbollah tunnel in southern Lebanon, in accordance with the cease-fire agreement reached with Israel that calls for the disarmament of the party.
"Congratulations to the Lebanese Armed Forces for recently discovering a massive underground Hezbollah tunnel, for the second time in two months," wrote the head of U.S. military command for the Middle East, Gen. Brad Cooper, on his X account Monday.
He also emphasized that "dismantling tunnels maliciously used by non-state actors to store munitions, missiles, and attack drones promotes peace and stability in Lebanon and across the region."
"Excellent work by the Lebanese Armed Forces and the U.S.-led Mechanism team, which helps enforce commitments made by Israel and Lebanon," the official concluded.
His comments come just days after the commander-in-chief of the Lebanese Army, Rodolph Haykal, visited the Centcom headquarters in Washington. During his visit, the army commander was sharply criticized by U.S. far-right Republican Senator Lindsey Graham.
In December, the Lebanese Army conducted excavation operations in the Touline valley (Marjayoun), following an Israeli report passed along via the cease-fire supervision committee indicating the suspected presence of a tunnel or military installation belonging to Hezbollah.
In August, the troops had discovered, in coordination with UNIFIL, a "vast network of fortified tunnels in the vicinity of the villages of Tayr Harfa, Zebqine, and Naqoura."
