As the Israel Defense Forces fight Hezbollah in southern Lebanon, the world is again watching.
I visited Lebanon Saturday with the IDF to see what they’ve found.
The timing was crucial since the Israelis went head-to-head with the UN “peacekeeping force” this week.
In recent days, five UN troops were wounded. The IDF has acknowledged blame for multiple accidental deaths, yet Hezbollah hit a UN peacekeeper two days earlier.
After the 2006 war, the UN peacekeeping force has been worse than ineffective.
They were supposed to maintain calm on this volatile frontier. Over the past year, Hezbollah has fired tens of thousands of missiles into Israel from southern Lebanon, rendering them ineffective.
As I reported in The Post last year, I have seen footage of UN peacekeepers leaving their bases, Hezbollah launching missiles over their heads into Israel, and the peacekeepers turning around and returning to base.
Worse, UN Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war, was supposed to prohibit Hezbollah from replenishing its weaponry against Israel.
That resolution was never implemented. Iran may have gathered 160,000 long- and short-range rockets in southern Lebanon since 2006.
Since Oct. 8, Hezbollah has fired them, forcing tens of thousands of northern Israelis from their homes.
Underground operation
Sunday, I witnessed this. A little way into Lebanon, the IDF showed me two Hezbollah tunnels near Israel.
These were intended to launch a Hamas-style Oct. 7 attack against Israel. Also to store and launch rockets into northern Israel.
Lebanon is rocky, unlike Gaza, and they are deep tunnels. Some underground shafts opened within 100 meters of a massive UN peacekeeping base and monitoring station.
How could the UN have overlooked the massive digging needed to build these tunnels? Not looking? Did they care?
The answer seems obvious: no. They didn’t look. International peacekeeping has been a joke for years.
What Irish or Sri Lankan soldier would risk their lives to uphold a UN resolution? Or defend Israel from Iran-backed terrorists?
Like Hamas’ Gaza terror tunnels, these tunnels run deep and connect. However, these are more lethal.
Hezbollah’s stockpile may have been destroyed by the Israeli air force in recent weeks. It also eliminated most of the group’s leadership.
No less US Marine-murdering Hassan Nasrallah.
After weeks of IDF victories, army members informed me Friday that Hezbollah’s ground capabilities in Lebanon have “astonished” them.
I was informed they found over 100 tunnel shafts like these in one square kilometer. All stocked with “Made in Iran” ammo, blood units, and medical gear.
700+ hidden hoards
The IDF escorted me into a thickly built-up woodland in Lebanon, a few hundred meters from the Israeli border.
Tunnel entrances, rocket launch locations, and other terror infrastructure are being cleared by the IDF.
We follow a Hezbollah-made wooded path. Clear tree signs guide Hezbollah terrorists.
The IDF removed Hezbollah’s booby-traps and other surprises from the tight passageway.
We find one of numerous Hezbollah hiding locations and arms dumps in the jungle.
A group of 10 Hezbollah terrorists bunkered at the abandoned station. They left most of their gear on the way out.
Hezbollah clothes, vests, and other requirements are included. Mines can blow walls open.
Since Hezbollah was planning an Oct. 7-style attack from the north, this was one of their strategies to break into Israel, much like Hamas did from the south.
The Hezbollah terrorists who departed this camp also left pipe bombs, various explosives, and several bullets.
The lettering on these artifacts indicates their origin. How recently.
Medical kits were imported from Iran last year. Other artifacts show that Russia and North Korea also sent new weapons.
The Israeli military says they’ve identified over 700 weapons caches in this part of Lebanon.
It shows how Hezbollah has spent hundreds of millions of dollars on its terror infrastructure, damaging Lebanon and Israel. That includes $1 billion annually from Iran’s Revolutionary Government.
With usual cynicism, the hiding site has water and electrical cable connections to two nearby Lebanese communities.
Naturally, this endangers these villages. Naturally, Hezbollah doesn’t care. Its Iranian paymasters have driven it to annihilate Israel.
This week may rekindle that fight. If it happens, international bodies that promote “cease-fire” and “peace” should be blamed.
