Watan-The Israeli newspaper “The Jerusalem Post” published a report claiming that Hezbollah, the Lebanese party, enlisted North Korea to create a massive tunnel network in Lebanon, with one of the tunnels reaching a length of 45 km.
The newspaper mentioned that this step comes five years after Israel launched “Operation Northern Shield” to destroy Hezbollah tunnels that extended into the northern areas of Israeli territory.
“The Jerusalem Post” explained that there are concerns in Israel about the potential resurgence of the threat of Hezbollah tunnels, especially considering the party’s extensive experience in tunnel digging.
Tunnels of Hamas and Hezbollah
However, according to the newspaper, the tunnels of Hamas are much larger and more extensive than previously believed. The report raised questions about Hezbollah’s tunnels and their strength after the discovery of a massive tunnel near the Erez crossing belonging to Hamas.
The newspaper claimed that there are multiple tunnels built by Hezbollah with the assistance of North Korea, as mentioned in a report by the Alma Research Center in July 2021, prepared by researcher Tal Beeri.
Beeri stated, “In our estimation, after the Second Lebanon War in 2006, Hezbollah, with the assistance of North Koreans and Iranians, initiated a project to build a tunnel network in Lebanon.”
Network of Tunnels with Support from North Korea
The report added regarding these tunnels: “It is a network much larger than the tunnels of Hamas (in our estimation, Hamas also relied on Iranian and North Korean expertise to build its tunnels).”
One of these tunnels is reported to be 45 kilometers long, and they are described as strategic tunnels that can accommodate vehicle movement, according to the Israeli newspaper “The Jerusalem Post.”
The “KAN” network mentioned a tunnel supposed to extend from Beirut to southern Lebanon, leading the Israeli authorities to believe that Hezbollah, in general, is more advanced than Hamas.
However, the “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm,” launched on October 7, revealed the capabilities of the Islamic Resistance Movement, Hamas, and its tunnels, which should not be underestimated.