“Israel on Tuesday announced that it has begun an extensive operation to neutralize Hezbollah-built tunnels, which are said to enter Israel and place targets in the north of the country at risk. The action has already been labeled operation ‘Northern Shield’ by Israeli security forces. Areas near the border have been declared closed military zones. An Israeli Defense Forces spokesman said the operation is currently taking place within Israeli territory. The narrative coming from the military is that this operation has been in the works for some time, as Israeli intelligence has been following plans for an offensive against Hezbollah tunnels since at least 2013. A military spokesman said the tunnels were a ‘severe violation of Israeli sovereignty,’ adding that they are clearly ‘funded by Iranian money.’ Israel now hopes to eradicate any such tunnels before they become fully functional.”
Source: Israel launches counter-tunnel Lebanese border operation | Asia Times
