Israel begins destroying Hezbollah tunnels

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The Israeli army on Thursday night began destroying cross-border tunnels that were allegedly dug by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia to infiltrate into Israel's northern border, a military spokesperson said on Friday.

Since launching an operation to cut off the tunnels on December 4, the army says it has located four underground passageways infiltrating Israeli territory.

Israel alleges Hezbollah had planned to use the tunnels to kidnap or kill its civilians or soldiers, and to seize a slice of Israeli territory in the event of any hostilities.

The army said it would "continue to operate to neutralize Hezbollah's military infrastructure and to thwart" any threats against Israel and its civilians.

A view inside a tunnel which reportedly connects Lebanon and Israel, near the border by the northern Israeli town of Metula, December 19, 2018. /VCG Photo

The Israeli army said the operation to locate and destroy the tunnels was defensive, and that it would involve different techniques.

The army advised Israeli authorities and the United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to notify its Lebanese counterpart to take measures to protect civilians across the border.

It said it held the Lebanese government "accountable for digging the attack tunnels.”

"The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) warns against approaching the openings of the tunnels or staying close to them on the Lebanese side," the army said in a statement.

An Israeli soldier operates a pulley outside an entry point made by the army to intercept a tunnel from Lebanon into Israel, December 19, 2018. /VCG Photo

The UNIFIL on Wednesday confirmed the existence of the tunnels and voiced concerns about their destabilizing nature during a meeting. But the meeting ended without a UN condemnation which Israel had sought.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told reporters on Wednesday that the tunnels were "an act of war."

(Top image: An Israeli soldiers stands over excavation equipment before the concrete barrier erected along the border with Lebanon, December 19, 2018. /VCG Photo)

Source(s): Reuters ,Xinhua News Agency