Lebanese army denies Israeli claims of Hezbollah tunnels in Beirut

By Wassim Saifuldine

BEIRUT (AA) - The Lebanese army has denied the existence of Hezbollah tunnels in the Jbeil and Keserwan areas, north of the capital Beirut.

"Media outlets and social media platforms have recently circulated footage released by an entity linked to the Israeli army, claiming the existence of missile sites and a tunnel network in Jbeil and Keserwan," the Lebanese army said in a statement on Thursday.

The statement dismissed the "enemy's claims," affirming that "the video shows scenes of civilian facilities and excavations belonging to the Beirut and Mount Lebanon Water Authority, established for maintenance purposes."

This statement followed a report published by the French daily Liberation, based on an investigation by the Alma Research Center in Israel.

The report claimed that there is a tunnel network created by Hezbollah that could purportedly connect southern Lebanon to Beirut and extend into the Beqaa Valley.

Hezbollah has yet to comment on the Israeli claims.

In 2006, Israel launched a war against the Lebanese group Hezbollah during which at least 1,200 people, mostly Lebanese civilians, were killed.

*Writing by Mohammad Sio in Ankara