Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said on Friday that Israel's military has cleared Hezbollah fighters from tunnels under the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge in southern Lebanon. In a social media post, Katz wrote: 'The mission was completed and the tunnels were cleared of terrorists.' Hezbollah did not immediately comment on the claim.

The ridge overlooks a wide area and had become one of the most hotly contested locations in the Israel-Hezbollah war, despite a ceasefire announced in June. Reuters reported on Thursday that Iran had warned the United States in the past month that it would respond forcefully to an Israeli assault on Hezbollah positions within the ridge.