Israeli Army Says It Destroyed Eight Tunnel Routes and More Than 600 Hezbollah Sites in South Lebanon's Mansouri
The Sept. 28 blast was heard in Tyre. It came as U.S.-brokered talks stall over who moves first: Hezbollah giving up its weapons, or Israel pulling back from the roughly 6% of Lebanon it still holds, down from almost a fifth of the country last spring.
A Blast Heard in Tyre, and a Number That Changed Underneath the Story
On Monday, Sept. 28, the Israeli military set off a large explosion in al-Mansouri, a town in Lebanon's Tyre district. The blast was heard in Tyre itself and in nearby villages, according to AFP correspondents and Lebanese state media[1]. The Israeli military said it had just finished an operation there that tore apart "more than 600 terrorist infrastructure sites" and "eight underground routes" it says Hezbollah built[1].
Three days later, on Oct. 1, the Beirut outlet L'Orient Today reported more Israeli shelling in Mansouri and the nearby town of Mais al-Jabal. Houses were set on fire, and explosives were being moved toward a place called Wadi Slouqi[2]. It's one entry in a long run of huge Israeli demolitions since the summer: a tunnel in Majdal Zoun in late June[3][4], a complex under the Beaufort ridge on July 31, and another beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge on Sept. 10 that used 1,100 tons of explosives and set off a tremor strong enough for the U.S. Geological Survey to log it[23][24].
Here's the thing that makes this story easy to get wrong: how much of Lebanon Israel actually still holds. In June, Al Jazeera put the figure at almost 20% of the country[13]. By late September, the same outlet reported that share had fallen to almost 6%, as Israel withdrew under a deal signed that same June[33]. Both numbers are real. They're just from different months — and a reader who only sees the bigger, older figure gets a story that looks far more frozen than it is.
A Truce That Runs on a Promise Nobody Trusts Yet
Israel and Hezbollah have been fighting since March 2, 2026. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire has technically held since April 16, extended more than once[19]. On June 26, Israel and Lebanon signed a framework, mediated by Washington, meant to turn that shaky truce into something more permanent[15].
The framework works in stages. The Lebanese army moves into southern areas and disarms "non-state armed groups" — meaning Hezbollah. Only once that's verified does Israel pull its troops back[15][29]. It sounds simple. It isn't, because each side wants the other to go first.
Israel and the United States read the deal as disarmament first, withdrawal second. Washington said as recently as this week that Lebanese troops simply moving south isn't enough on its own to earn further Israeli withdrawal[16]. Lebanon's government wants something more "reciprocal" — both sides moving at the same time[17]. And Hezbollah's leader, Naim Qassem, has said flatly that his group won't disarm while Israeli forces remain on Lebanese soil[26]. Three positions, each logical on its own, that can't all be satisfied at once. That's why a ceasefire can hold on paper while demolitions and strikes continue underneath it[28].
Why Israel Keeps Reaching for Dynamite
To understand why Israel is blowing up tunnels instead of just watching the border, you have to go back to 2006. After that war, a United Nations resolution promised a Hezbollah-free south. It didn't happen. Instead, Israel says, Hezbollah spent two decades quietly building tunnels and rocket-launch sites under villages, funded by Iran[22][3].
Israel says the Majdal Zoun tunnel, the one destroyed in June, ran about 20 meters from a mosque and held roughly 50 explosive drones[3]. Whether true or not, it illustrates Israel's core argument: a signed promise didn't stop Hezbollah last time, so the physical destruction of tunnels and launch sites — not a document — is what will. Israel's government also points to about 96,000 Israelis still displaced from the north by past Hezbollah fire, people it says it's trying to get home safely[5].
That argument comes with a catch most coverage can't independently check. The Israeli military controls nearly all the information about what's actually underground. Reporters rarely get to verify the counts of tunnels or drones themselves — which is why outlets split sharply on whether to report Israel's tunnel claims as fact or as a claim, a distinction that matters a lot given what's been destroyed above those tunnels.
What Gets Destroyed Along With the Tunnels
That distinction matters because the demolitions don't stay underground. Israel's defense minister, Yoav Katz, has said more than 20,000 homes have been demolished[9]. CNN, given a rare look inside what it called "occupied southern Lebanon," counted 55 occupied towns and villages as of early September[9]. NPR used similar language in its own look inside the area[10].
For residents, the demolitions feel constant. Al Jazeera described them continuing "day and night," and Lebanese officials and critics argue that flattening a village doesn't just clear a tunnel — it turns a family's temporary flight into a permanent loss of their home[11][31]. More than a million Lebanese fled in March at the war's peak[14]. By June, Al Jazeera put the cumulative total above 1.2 million[13]. By September, the UN figure cited in reporting had fallen to more than 350,000 still displaced[11] — real progress, but still a huge number of people without homes to return to.
The human cost on the Lebanese side isn't just displacement. Lebanon's Health Ministry reports more than 4,300 people killed by Israeli strikes since March 2[11]. On the other side, the Council on Foreign Relations' tracker estimates Hezbollah fire has displaced about 96,000 Israelis since October 2023[5]. Both figures are tracked by their respective sides, and both describe real, ongoing harm.
The Government Stuck in the Middle
Lebanon's own state — President Joseph Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, and the Lebanese army — occupies the hardest position in this story. Under the June framework, the army began taking control of a handful of "pilot zones," villages picked as an early test where Lebanese troops deploy and disarm Hezbollah fighters, with Israel supposed to withdraw once that's confirmed[17]. Beirut argues it has held up its end of that bargain.
Now Lebanon is asking for something back: real Israeli withdrawal and an end to the strikes, which it calls "reciprocal" progress[17]. Lebanese officials argue that as long as Israeli troops stay and keep demolishing villages, it actually makes the army's disarmament job harder, not easier — a weakened Lebanese state is a state that struggles to stand up to Hezbollah at all[17][2].
Any government asking two sides to disarm and withdraw at the same time has an obvious reason for wanting it that way — it's the only sequence that doesn't leave Lebanon's own army exposed either to an armed Hezbollah or an occupying Israeli force. That doesn't resolve the dispute. It explains why Beirut keeps repeating a position both Washington and Hezbollah have rejected in opposite directions. Separately, a Washington-based think tank has reported allegations that the Lebanese army has in places coordinated with Hezbollah rather than disarming it, a claim that undercuts the government's credibility with Israel and the U.S. even as it makes its case[25].
The Same Blast, Three Different Stories
How this gets covered depends heavily on where the outlet sits. Breitbart's headline called the Mansouri-style demolitions a win over an "underground Hezbollah fortress," treating Israel's own description of the tunnels as settled fact[6]. The Wall Street Journal took a more measured line, framing Hezbollah as a "U.S.-designated terrorist group" embedded in Lebanese society with "no easy options" for disarming it[8] — the same basic frame as Israel's, but without declaring victory.
CNN's dispatch from inside the occupied zone led with "Israeli flags and flattened homes," using "occupied" as a plain descriptive term and putting Israel's security rationale further down the story[9]. Al Jazeera goes further, routinely putting "ceasefire" in scare quotes and framing the demolitions as making displacement permanent[11]. Hezbollah-aligned Al Mayadeen refers to Israel only as "the Israeli occupation" throughout its coverage, largely leaving out Hezbollah's own military role[12]. AFP and L'Orient Today sit closer to the middle, describing the tunnels as "alleged" and attributing the claims directly to the Israeli military rather than stating them outright[1][2].
None of these framings is being dishonest about the facts in front of it. They're each choosing which facts to lead with, and which claims to label as claims. The tunnels Israel found in June under Majdal Zoun were real enough that even a conflict tracker from the Council on Foreign Relations tried to log the event — it just filed it under the wrong month, listing it as an October episode instead of June[5][4]. Talks between Israel and Lebanon remain stalled as of this week, with no date set for the next round[17][28].
Summary
On Monday, Sept. 28, the Israeli army set off a large blast in Mansouri, a southern Lebanese town near Tyre. The army said it had finished an operation there that destroyed 'more than 600 terrorist infrastructure sites' and 'eight underground routes' used by Hezbollah[1]. On Oct. 1, Beirut's L'Orient Today reported Israeli shelling of Mansouri and Mais al-Jabal. It also reported explosives being moved toward Wadi Slouqi[2]. This is one of a string of large Israeli demolitions since the summer. They include a tunnel in Majdal Zoun in late June[3][4], tunnels under the Beaufort ridge on July 31, and the Ali al-Taher ridge on Sept. 10[22][24].
The demolitions are taking place during a truce. Israel and Hezbollah have fought since March 2, 2026, and a U.S.-brokered ceasefire has held on paper since April 16[19]. On June 26, Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-mediated framework[15]. It works in steps. Lebanon's army takes control of areas and disarms 'non-state armed groups', meaning Hezbollah. Israel pulls back only after that is verified[15][29]. Israel holds 'almost 20 percent' of Lebanon, by Al Jazeera's count[13]. CNN counts 55 occupied towns and villages[9].
The core dispute is sequencing. Israel and the United States say Hezbollah must disarm before Israel leaves. Washington said this week that Lebanese troops moving south is not enough[16]. Lebanon's government wants 'reciprocal' progress, meaning Israeli steps too[17]. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem says the group will not disarm while Israel occupies Lebanese land[26]. Israel describes the demolitions as removing threats the truce allows it to remove. Lebanese officials and critics say they are tearing down villages and making displacement permanent[11][31].
The human toll is large, but the figures need dates. More than a million Lebanese fled in March[14]. In June, Al Jazeera put the total at more than 1.2 million[13]. September reporting cites the UN as saying more than 350,000 remain displaced[11]. Lebanon's Health Ministry says more than 4,300 people have been killed by Israeli strikes since March 2[11]. The CFR tracker says Hezbollah fire has displaced about 96,000 Israelis since October 2023[5].
The Event
On Monday, Sept. 28, 2026, the Israeli military set off a large explosion in al-Mansouri, in Lebanon's Tyre district. AFP correspondents and Lebanese state media said the blast was heard in Tyre and nearby villages[1]. The Israeli military said it had completed an operation there that dismantled 'more than 600 terrorist infrastructure sites' and 'eight underground routes'[1]. On Oct. 1, L'Orient Today reported Israeli shelling of Mansouri and Mais al-Jabal, houses set on fire, and explosives moved toward Wadi Slouqi[2].
Undisputed Facts
- War between Israel and Hezbollah resumed on March 2, 2026. A U.S.-brokered ceasefire has formally been in place since April 16 and has been extended several times[19].
- Israel and Lebanon signed a U.S.-mediated framework agreement on June 26, 2026. It links any Israeli pullback to the Lebanese army taking control and to verified disarmament of non-state armed groups[15][29].
- Israeli troops still occupy a strip of southern Lebanon. Al Jazeera put the figure at almost 20% of the country's territory in June; by Sept. 29 it reported the occupied share had fallen to almost 6% as Israel withdrew under the framework deal[33][13]. CNN counted 55 occupied towns and villages in early September[9].
- Israel has carried out several very large demolitions it describes as destroying Hezbollah tunnels. They include Majdal Zoun in late June, the Beaufort ridge on July 31 (about 700 tons of explosives), and the Ali al-Taher ridge on Sept. 10 (1,100 tons, which set off a magnitude 4.1 tremor per the USGS)[4][24][23].
- Hezbollah has not disarmed. Its leader Naim Qassem says it will not disarm while Israeli forces remain in Lebanon[26][17].
- Both sides keep reporting fire during the truce. Israel said an explosive drone was launched at its troops around Sept. 27, and it struck Hezbollah targets in response[21]. Lebanon's state news agency reported an Israeli drone strike on Nabatieh al-Fawqa on Sept. 30[20].
- Lebanon's Health Ministry reports more than 4,300 people killed by Israeli strikes since March 2[11].
The Pressure
Strip away the moralizing and blame. What structural realities persist regardless of which narrative wins?
- Sequencing deadlock
- The framework works in steps: the Lebanese army takes control, disarmament is verified, then Israel redeploys[29]. Israel and the U.S. read this as disarmament first[16]. Lebanon wants both sides to move at the same time[17]. Hezbollah rejects disarmament outright while Israel stays[26]. Because each side's position depends on the other moving first, the truce can last on paper while the fighting goes on[28].
- Israel's buffer logic
- Israel's main lesson from 2006 is that promises of a Hezbollah-free south did not hold[22]. So it treats physically destroying the underground infrastructure, and the villages above it, as a guarantee that does not depend on Lebanon[22][9].
- Hezbollah's survival logic
- Hezbollah's arms underpin its standing inside Lebanon. Occupation gives it a justification for keeping them, so an ongoing Israeli presence helps its argument at home even as it costs the group on the ground[26][25].
- A weak Lebanese state
- Beirut wants a monopoly on arms but cannot force one without risking civil conflict. Israel has also accused the army of coordinating with Hezbollah[25][26].
Material realityIsraeli troops hold a strip of southern Lebanon — about 6% of the country as of late September, down from almost 20% in June as Israel has withdrawn under the framework deal[33][13]. CNN counted 55 occupied towns and villages in early September[9]. Israel has destroyed large tunnel complexes, using about 700 tons of explosives at Beaufort and 1,100 tons at Ali al-Taher[24][23]. Katz has said more than 20,000 homes were demolished[9]. Hezbollah still has weapons and still launches some attacks, including drones at Israeli troops[21][26]. Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced. The UN figure cited in September is more than 350,000, down from a peak above 1 million[11][14]. Lebanon's Health Ministry reports more than 4,300 killed since March 2[11]. Talks continue but have stalled[17][28].
Narrative as a weaponIsrael's government controls most of the primary information on what is underground. Reporters can rarely check the IDF's counts of tunnels, drones and 'infrastructure sites' on their own. Israel wants readers to see each blast as the truce being enforced. Hezbollah and aligned media want the same blasts seen as occupation and collective punishment, and they play down the group's own arsenal and attacks. Lebanon's government is trying to persuade Washington that Israeli restraint would help disarmament rather than undermine it. Watch for two common slips. One is stale figures: the 'almost 20%' occupied-territory figure from June was still circulating in September coverage even after Israel's own reporting put the current figure at about 6%, just as the spring peak of 'more than a million displaced' can be mistaken for the current count. The other is old events re-dated: the Majdal Zoun tunnel blast was in June, but at least one tracker lists it under Oct. 1[5][4].
How Each Side Sees It
Each major actor’s view — how it frames things, its underlying incentive, and how it’s materially affected. Tap a side to read it.
Frames it asIsrael argues that it has seen this before. After the 2006 war, UN Resolution 1701 promised a Hezbollah-free south. Instead, Hezbollah spent two decades building tunnels and launch sites right under villages, with Iranian money[22][3]. Israel says the Majdal Zoun tunnel was about 20 meters from a mosque and held about 50 explosive drones[3]. In its view, destroying that network is how the truce becomes real, not a breach of it. It also points out that the deal it signed says pullback follows verified disarmament, not the other way round[29]. And it says it is protecting about 96,000 northern Israelis displaced by Hezbollah fire, so they can go home safely[5].
WhyIsrael wants a lasting buffer so Hezbollah can't rebuild near the border. It does not want to give up ground before disarmament can be checked[29][22].
Impact on themTroops stay deployed in Lebanon and keep taking fire, including drones[21]. At home, Netanyahu and Katz present each demolition as a strategic gain[22]. Abroad, Israel faces criticism over destroyed villages and heritage sites such as Beaufort Castle[24].
Frames it asHezbollah says its weapons exist because Israel occupies Lebanese land. Taking them away during an occupation would leave Lebanon defenseless[26]. It calls the June framework a humiliation for the nation and its army. In its view, the deal was written in Washington to do Israel's work for it[27]. It argues that history backs it up: Israel left south Lebanon in 2000 only under armed pressure, not through diplomacy[26].
WhyHezbollah wants to keep its arsenal and its political weight inside Lebanon, and avoid being disarmed by its own government[26][25].
Impact on themIt has lost its border infrastructure and much of its base area. Its Shia support base makes up a large share of the displaced[11][31]. It also faces growing pressure from Lebanon's own cabinet[26].
Frames it asBeirut says it has kept its side of the deal. Under the framework, a handful of 'pilot zones' — villages picked as a first test where the Lebanese army deploys and disarms Hezbollah fighters, with Israel supposed to withdraw once that is verified — began changing hands in July[17]. Now Lebanon asks for 'reciprocal' progress: Israeli withdrawal and an end to strikes[17]. Lebanese officials argue that Israel's continued presence and demolitions make it harder for the army to do its job. They say this weakens the state against Hezbollah, which helps the group[17][2].
WhyThe state wants a monopoly on weapons, an Israeli withdrawal, and reconstruction money, without setting off civil conflict with Hezbollah[17][26].
Impact on themThe state is stuck between U.S. and Israeli demands and a Hezbollah that refuses to disarm. Israel has accused the army of coordinating with Hezbollah in the pilot zones, which hurts its credibility[25]. Lebanon carries the cost of rebuilding and housing the displaced[31].
Frames it asWashington brokered the April truce and the June framework. It presents the framework as a path to a full Israel-Lebanon peace deal[15]. As of Sept. 30, it says Hezbollah's weapons are the center of the talks, and that the Lebanese army moving south will not by itself earn further Israeli withdrawal[16]. Both parties in Congress have pushed Lebanon to disarm Hezbollah 'immediately'[30].
WhyThe U.S. wants to cut Iran's reach through Hezbollah and secure a peace deal it can claim credit for, without American troops on the ground[16][15].
Impact on themU.S. credibility rides on a framework that has stalled. One round of talks was postponed in September amid blasts in the south[28].
Frames it asResidents say the demolitions go on 'day and night'[11]. They argue that blowing up whole villages turns a temporary flight into a permanent loss of home, whatever Israel says was underground[31]. Some critics compare the destruction to Gaza[32]. Katz has said Israel demolished more than 20,000 homes[9].
WhyThey want to go home, get compensation, and have their villages rebuilt[31].
Impact on themHundreds of thousands are still displaced. The UN figure cited in September is more than 350,000[11]. Many have no home left to return to[9][31].
Like this article?
The Bias Ledger average rating 4.7
The same story, as framed by outlets across the spectrum, ordered least to most biased. The bias score (1 = straight, 10 = heavily spun) is an AI assessment of that framing — click an outlet to see its track record. The tell is the word choice or omission that reveals the angle.
| Outlet | Vantage | Bias | How they frame it | The tell |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agence France-Presse | French state-funded wire, center | 2 | Israeli army sets off large explosion in south Lebanon | Close to straight reporting. It pairs what correspondents saw with the IDF's own claim, attributed as such. |
| The Wall Street Journal | U.S. center-right | 3 | No easy options to disarm Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated terrorist group embedded in society | It frames the problem as disarmament, which is the U.S. and Israeli framing. But it is frank that the goal may be out of reach. |
| The Times of Israel | Israeli center | 4 | IDF blows up Hezbollah's 'strategic' complex beneath south Lebanon's Ali Taher Ridge | It puts 'strategic' in quotes but leans heavily on IDF and prime minister statements. Lebanese civilian impact appears late, if at all. |
| CNN | U.S. center-left | 4 | Israeli flags and flattened homes: A rare look inside occupied southern Lebanon | 'Occupied' is used as a plain description. The imagery of flattened homes leads, and Israel's security rationale comes second. |
| Breitbart | U.S. right | 6 | Israel Destroys Underground Hezbollah Fortress in Lebanon | 'Fortress' takes Israel's description and states it as fact. Displacement and the truce dispute are pushed to the edges. |
| Al Jazeera | Qatari state-funded | 6 | In southern Lebanon, Israeli demolitions continue 'day and night' | It routinely writes 'ceasefire' in scare quotes. It frames demolitions as permanent displacement, and Israel's tunnel findings appear as claims. |
| Al Mayadeen | Lebanese, Hezbollah-aligned | 8 | Israeli occupation strikes, demolitions continue in southern Lebanon | It calls Israel 'the Israeli occupation' as a proper noun. Hezbollah's military role is essentially left out. |
References
- Israeli army sets off large explosion in south Lebanon — Agence France-Presse · French state-funded wire service
- Israel continues to target Mansouri, Mais al-Jabal, explosives transferred to Wadi Slouqi — L'Orient Today · Beirut independent francophone daily; generally critical of Hezbollah and of the Israeli occupation
- Hezbollah Tunnel Exposed Under Civilian Village — Israel Defense Forces · Official Israeli military statement; a party to the conflict
- Israel triggers huge explosion in southern Lebanon — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- Conflict With Hezbollah in Lebanon (Global Conflict Tracker) — Council on Foreign Relations · U.S. foreign-policy establishment think tank, corporate and foundation funded
- Israel Destroys Underground Hezbollah Fortress in Lebanon — Breitbart · U.S. right, pro-Israel
- Hezbollah relies on sophisticated tunnel system backed by Iran, North Korea in fight against Israel — Fox News · U.S. right
- WSJ post: no easy options to disarm Hezbollah — The Wall Street Journal · U.S. center-right newsroom (News Corp)
- Israeli flags and flattened homes: A rare look inside occupied southern Lebanon — CNN · U.S. center-left
- A rare glimpse inside Israeli-occupied southern Lebanon — NPR · U.S. public broadcaster, center-left
- In southern Lebanon, Israeli demolitions continue 'day and night' — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- Israeli occupation strikes, demolitions continue in southern Lebanon — Al Mayadeen · Beirut-based, aligned with Hezbollah and the Iran-led axis
- Israel-Lebanon deal ties ceasefire to Hezbollah disarmament: Will it work? — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- One Million People Displaced in Lebanon as Israel Launches Ground Invasion — Time · U.S. center
- What is the framework agreement signed by Israel and Lebanon? — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- US links further Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon to Hezbollah disarmament — SyriacPress · Assyrian/Syriac Christian community news agency
- Lebanon calls for 'reciprocal' progress on Israel deal as disarming Hezbollah remains stalled — The National · Abu Dhabi state-linked (UAE)
- Majdal Zoun 'cut in two' after Israel dynamites alleged Hezbollah tunnel — L'Orient Today · Beirut independent francophone daily
- 2026 Lebanon war — Wikipedia · Crowd-edited reference; contested topic
- Daily Report September 30 2026: Lebanon, Iran, Iraq and flydubai — Profile News · Lebanon-focused news digest; compiles Lebanese state media
- IDF Strikes Hezbollah in Lebanon After Explosive Drone Fired at Israeli Troops Overnight — Haaretz · Israeli center-left
- IDF blows up Hezbollah's 'strategic' complex beneath south Lebanon's Ali Taher Ridge — The Times of Israel · Israeli center
- Israel blows up Hezbollah tunnels with 1,100 tonnes of explosives, triggering earthquake — The National · Abu Dhabi state-linked (UAE)
- Israeli forces blow up structures near Lebanon's Beaufort Castle — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- LAF-Hezbollah coordination and the limits of Lebanon's disarmament effort — FDD's Long War Journal · U.S. hawkish, pro-Israel think tank (Foundation for Defense of Democracies)
- Qassem: Hezbollah will not disarm, ready for 'epic' battle — JNS · U.S.-Israeli right-leaning, pro-Israel
- Hezbollah chief says Lebanon-Israel deal humiliates the nation and its army — The Times of Israel · Israeli center
- Israel-Lebanon talks postponed as explosions rock southern Lebanon — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- US-backed Israel-Lebanon framework ties IDF pullout to Hezbollah disarmament: Inside the agreement — Ynet · Israeli center (Yedioth Ahronoth)
- Gottheimer, Shreve Lead Bipartisan Group Urging Lebanon to Disarm Hezbollah Immediately — Office of Rep. Josh Gottheimer · Official congressional release; pro-Israel bipartisan members
- How Israel's destruction of south Lebanon is making displacement permanent — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded
- Mirroring Gaza, Israel is destroying towns and villages in southern Lebanon — NPR · U.S. public broadcaster, center-left
- Lebanese are watching Israel's upcoming election, but few expect change — Al Jazeera · Qatari state-funded