Why Does Hezbollah Dig Tunnels?

Israel has now located four tunnels dug by Hezbollah into Israel from Lebanon.

In a helpful article Seth J. Frantzman chronicles the growing sophistication of such terrorist tunnels popular with the Taliban, al-Qaeda, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah.  

Naturally, the word, “tunnels” makes us think of harmless narrow passageways and a means of simply getting from one place to another. But these are deep, concrete fortified structures designed for surprise attack on civilians in Israel.  There is plenty of room inside for fighters, weapons, and supplies as seen in this video by UN Watch director, Hillel Neuer. The enormous costs of building are paid by Iran.

Not only are the Hezbollah tunnels constructed for purposes of attack on Israeli civilians, some are built on the property of Lebanese civilians. Of course, all this is against international law as it’s a war crime purposely to attack civilians or to use civilian areas for staging violence.

When Hamas tunnels into Israeli farms, or sends incendiary devices into southern Israel, or when Fatah honors terrorists in the West Bank, we hear that the problem is “occupation” even though there are no Jews or IDF soldiers in Gaza and all the West Bank cities are under Palestinian control.  What is the problem from Lebanon? 

The Hezbollah tunnels run under an internationally recognized and undisputed border.  And certainly Hezbollah is not advocating for the welfare of Palestinians who in Lebanon are not even allowed citizenship.  Just maybe it has to do with the demographics of Israel?

These tunnels are simply the shortest distance to Jews. According to the leader of Hezbollah, it's simply most convenient to attack the nearby Jews of Israel; any Jews anywhere are just as much a target.

Gaza War Grade: Incomplete

The IDF prevented a disaster by demolishing the tunnels through which Hamas had planned surprise terror for Rosh Hashanah. The rockets, guns, IDF uniforms, handcuffs, drugs, and even motorcycles stored in the tunnels were to be used in massive attacks and kidnappings at kibbutzim and homes closest to the Gaza border.

Dozens of other tunnels and huge stockpiles of weapons were destroyed. The IDF killed many terrorists and a number of Hamas terrorist leaders. According to a poll conducted by Geocartography Institute, 61% of Israelis feel that the IDF won.

But interestingly, the question was framed in this way: “Do you agree with the statement that the IDF won while Israel lost?” That a majority agreed with this statement may be explained by another question in the same poll: 

Respondents expressed frustration with the ceasefire that ended the operation with Hamas still in power in the Gaza Strip. Fifty-eight percent said the IDF should have been allowed to continue the operation in order to degrade the terrorist organization’s military abilities and called the truce a mistake that wastes the achievements of the Israeli armed forces.

Meanwhile, as in previous wars, Hamas has declared itself victorious.  An excellent Gatestone Institute article explains what’s wrong with that assessment and even Mahmoud Abbas blames Hamas for the deaths and destruction in Gaza that he now says “could have been avoided.”

The photo above (why is there no dust on that white robe?) represents winning to Ismail Haniyeh, the Hamas leader who has not appeared in Gaza during the war until now and is pictured here, smiling, raising his hand in a V for victory sign amid the rubble of his own house.