Why is Israel Having a Hard Time Controlling Ali al-Taher Ridge in Lebanon? The Strategically Important Location in the Hezbollah War
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The Arab Post
- . September 5, 2026
- . Update: September 5, 2026 3:46 pm
The Israeli Defense Minister, Israel Katz, says that Israel has operational control of the strategically important Ali al-Taher Ridge battle strategy in Southern Lebanon due to Israel’s success in clearing Hezbollah fighters from tunnels below the ridge. It should be noted that this happened on September 4.
It is very important in the Israel-Hezbollah conflict because the ridge is quite far inside Southern Lebanon, even though the ceasefire was declared in June.
According to Reuters, the Israeli military has been killing some Hezbollah fighters and chasing the rest. However, the information couldn’t be confirmed on the ground.
Location of Ali al-Taher Ridge
Ali al-Taher is an array of hills situated around 15 km from the Israeli border, in the vicinity of the major Lebanese city of Nabatieh.
With its altitude of roughly 600 metres, whoever holds the ridge will have a wide view of southeastern Lebanon. The ridge is also located close to the Litani River and above the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, which is under the sway of Hezbollah.
The ridge is strategically located close to the ancient Beaufort Castle that is another strategic location captured by Israeli troops in this war.
Why Do the Israelis Want the Ridge?
The main importance of Ali al-Taher lies in its altitude and connection.
According to military experts, holding the ridge will allow Israel to have better visibility of surrounding terrain and movement paths. This location will also facilitate troop movement by Israeli troops from one side of the ridge to the other.
This hill will be important for Hezbollah as well, as it can be used as a launch point due to its altitude and connect Hezbollah’s southern positions with more distant regions.
This is why the location became one of the most contested points in the war despite being just a ridge of some hills.
What Is There under the Ridge? – Ali al-Taher Ridge battle strategy
According to Israel, Hezbollah has established an extensive network of tunnels underneath Ali al-Taher, including command posts and weapons storage facilities.
According to Israel’s military, the tunnel network is strategic, and it is an underground network that has been developed over many years using funding and planning from Iran.
Reuters says that Israeli troops have been striking at these positions in the underground for several weeks before announcing control over the ridge. The scope of Israel’s control over the network of tunnels has not been independently confirmed.
Why Did Iran Threaten the US?
It has become clear that the ridge has gained significance even outside Israel.
Reuters reported that on September 3, Iran had sent a warning to Washington that it would retaliate in case of any Israeli attack on Hezbollah positions in Ali al-Taher.
According to three officials who were briefed about this matter, it was known that there were some Iranian military personnel who were present alongside Hezbollah fighters in the area.
However, these reports are being contested by Hezbollah and a White House official.
What is the significance of the Ridge after the Ceasefire?
The case of Ali al-Taher clearly demonstrates how tenuous the ceasefire signed in June was.
In particular, despite the ceasefire, Israel has been continuing its activities within a declared security buffer in southern Lebanon, while Hezbollah has opposed efforts aimed at its total disarmament. Meanwhile, the United States has been trying to facilitate negotiations between Lebanon and Israel on a deal related to Hezbollah’s disarmament.
The arrest of Ali al-Taher might, thus, be advantageous for Israel and put even more pressure on Hezbollah.
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