Israel says it has destroyed major underground Hezbollah base

Israel's military says it has destroyed a large underground complex operated by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon. It said it used more than 1,000 tonnes of explosives to destroy two tunnels spanning more than 2km (1.2 miles) beneath the Ali Taher Ridge.

The blast triggered seismic activity equivalent to a magnitude 4.1 earthquake, according to the US Geological Survey. There was no immediate public response from Hezbollah or the Lebanese government.

Israeli forces took control of the ridge last week after months of fighting with the Iran-backed group there. The Israeli military occupies a large swathe of southern Lebanon captured after the conflict with Hezbollah resumed in March. Images released by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) showed a fireball lighting up the sky.

The IDF said the underground infrastructure included a command centre used by Hezbollah's Badr unit and contained dozens of rockets, missiles and unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as anti-tank weapons, mines and explosives. The IDF said the destruction of the complex completed a mission to destroy eight tunnels and establish a "security zone" in the area.