The battle over the strategic Ali al-Taher Ridge in Lebanon has emerged as one of the key flashpoints of the Third Lebanon War, with dozens of Hezbollah terrorists and Iranian advisers trapped inside a massive underground network as quiet diplomatic efforts continue to seek a way out of the standoff.

Most of the Iranian advisers are officers in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. They are trapped in the underground system in the “Bader” area, which overlooks the Nabatieh plateau and strategic transportation routes. IDF forces from the 36th Division, Egoz Unit and Yahalom have taken control of the outskirts of the area, catching Hezbollah unprepared.

Ynet’s Ron Ben-Yishai reports that the sensitive presence of Iranian officers underground is forcing the IDF to proceed cautiously. A bloody confrontation inside the tunnels could trigger a major escalation and reignite the front with Iran and the Gulf. The sides have therefore maintained a low media profile while secret diplomatic contacts are being conducted with American mediation. Lebanon is demanding that the Lebanese Armed Forces take control of the ridge and demilitarize it, while Hezbollah is seeking an arrangement that would allow its terrorists to withdraw with their weapons without images of humiliation.

Meanwhile, Israel’s security establishment has recently detected an increase in Hezbollah attempts to smuggle weapons and other materiel across the Syria-Lebanon border as the terrorist organization works to rebuild its capabilities. A security official told Channel 12 that Iran, operating through the IRGC’s Quds Force, is behind the smuggling effort.

Despite the interception and seizure of weapons shipments in recent weeks, including earlier this month, Israeli security officials assess that the actual scale of the smuggling is significantly greater than what has been uncovered and that many shipments are successfully getting through undetected.

“Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire to rebuild and strengthen itself, and has therefore stepped up its smuggling attempts from Syria into Lebanon,” the security official said. “We assess that many smuggling operations are successfully passing under the radar and are not being detected.”

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)