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Hezbollah releases video showing missiles in advanced tunnel system

Footage published as mediators meet in Doha for talks seeking to end the war in Gaza and avoid larger regional conflict
Hezbollah operatives salute the "Imad 4 Facility" in an underground tunnel in their latest video (Hezbollah/Screenshot)
Hezbollah operatives salute the "Imad 4 Facility" in an underground tunnel in their latest video (Hezbollah/Screenshot)

Lebanon's Hezbollah movement published a new video on Friday showcasing what seems to be a developed underground missile-launching facility along with an extensive tunnel network.

Titled “Our mountains are our storehouses”, the four-and-a-half minute video shows what seems to be Hezbollah operatives moving through a wide array of illuminated tunnels, with motorbikes and even wide trucks carrying missiles driving through them.

The footage shows a sign that reads “Imad 4”, an apparent reference to top Hezbollah commander Imad Mughniyeh, who was killed in a car bombing in Damascus in 2008 that the movement blamed on Israel.

The release of the dramatic, polished video comes as negotiators seeking a Gaza ceasefire are currently meeting in Doha, and diplomatic efforts from the US, France and Arab state have increased to avoid a wider war between Lebanon and Israel.

Excerpts from speeches by Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah are played at the beginning and end of the video, with Hebrew and English subtitles.

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“The resistance in Lebanon today, in its possession of weapons, equipment, capabilities, members, cadres, ability, expertise, experience, and also of faith, determination, courage and will, is stronger than at any time since its launch in the region,” Nasrallah says at the beginning.

Doors are then shown opening to reveal missile launchers ready to operate from the tunnels.

The video includes an excerpt from a 2018 Nasrallah speech in which he says “if Israel imposes a war on Lebanon, Israel will face a destiny and reality it didn't expect any day”.

Hezbollah and Israel have engaged in near-daily border clashes since 8 October, a day after the Hamas-led attack on southern Israeli communities and subsequent war on Gaza. Around 500 Lebanese have been killed in Israeli strikes since October, including 120 civilians, according to the UN.

The mostly contained but deadly conflict reached its highest escalation point following Israel’s twin assassinations of top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Beirut’s southern suburbs and Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Both Iran and its ally Hezbollah have vowed to retaliate for the assassinations.

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