BEIRUT, Sept. 4 (Xinhua) -- Hezbollah on Friday denied an Israeli military claim that its forces had taken control of the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge on the eastern outskirts of Nabatieh in southern Lebanon.
In a statement, Hezbollah's Islamic Resistance said the ridge was free of any Israeli military presence, adding that its fighters remained deployed there and in control of the area, ready to confront any Israeli attempt to advance or infiltrate.
The statement came a day after the Israeli military said its forces had achieved "operational control" of the ridge, above and below ground, following weeks of operations there. It said that its troops had cleared two underground routes, killing some Hezbollah members.
The Israeli military also said its forces had found command centers, weapons stores, generators and living quarters inside the underground complex, which it said was built over two decades. Operations to neutralize the infrastructure were still underway, it added.
The dispute over the Ali al-Taher ridge follows intensified Israeli military activity in the area in recent weeks. On Wednesday, the Israeli military said Hezbollah had launched two explosive-laden drones at Israeli troops near the ridge, prompting strikes on what it described as Hezbollah infrastructure.
Roughly 15 km from the Israeli border, the ridge overlooks Nabatieh and nearby villages and commands key routes in southern Lebanon. Its location and suspected underground Hezbollah infrastructure have made it a major flashpoint in the current Israel-Hezbollah conflict. ■
