JERUSALEM (VINnews) — The Israeli military said Thursday it uncovered a Hezbollah tunnel system built beneath a church in southern Lebanon, an allegation that underscores renewed tensions along the border despite a fragile ceasefire.

The Israel Defense Forces said troops operating in the southern Lebanese town of Khiam found an underground route and multiple tunnel shafts beneath a church during recent scans by the Givati Brigade.

The military said the site had previously been cleared of weapons and operatives in December 2024, but that new shafts were discovered during recent operations, which it said indicate renewed activity in the area.

According to the IDF, the tunnel infrastructure was used by Hezbollah and built beneath a civilian religious structure, which it said demonstrates a pattern of embedding military assets within civilian sites.

“The renewed use of this area proves the recurring pattern of operation of the Hezbollah terror organization, in which it continues to cynically exploit the civilians of the State of Lebanon as human shields,” the military said in a statement.

The IDF added that the use of religious buildings for military purposes constitutes a violation of international law.

The Lebanese government and Hezbollah did not immediately respond to the allegations.