Exclusive: "Pure gold" discovered following strike on the Drone City in southern Lebanon

Twenty-four hours after IDF forces destroyed Hezbollah’s underground compound in Majdal Zoun in southern Lebanon, Yossi Yehoshua, i24NEWS’ sister Hebrew channel’s military commentator and Yedioth Ahronoth military commentator, revealed that a warning to act against the site had already been issued at the beginning of the war. During Operation “Northern Arrows,” officers in the 36th Division recommended dealing with the compound, which was considered one of the main strategic assets that Iran built for Hezbollah near the border, and according to assessments, was intended to serve as a central base for the terror group's UAV network.

However, at that time, the Air Force Intelligence Division assessed that the compound was not active and that there were no weapons in it. As a result, the 36th Division was not tasked with taking control of the area, even though its forces operated nearby.

Only recently, with the advancement of the forces in the area, the decision was made to carry out a ground operation. When the Yahalom combat engineering unit entered the compound, it became clear that the reality was completely different from the initial assessments: instead, a giant tunnel system was discovered, along with command rooms, weapons storage facilities, dozens of Iranian-made drones, and a large quantity of ammunition.

The defense establishment defined the findings discovered at the compound as "pure gold" from an intelligence perspective. Some of the UAVs and weaponry were transferred to Israel for further examination, and the defense establishment estimates that they may provide significant information about Iranian UAV technologies, Hezbollah's operational methods, and the operational connection between Tehran and the organization.

According to the IDF, the compound is considered one of Hezbollah's main strategic assets in southern Lebanon. It was built over the years with Iranian assistance and was designed to allow prolonged stays for terrorists alongside the storage and operation of a UAV system and underground combat infrastructure, while remaining concealed from airstrikes.

The destruction of the compound was carried out as part of the IDF's ongoing activity to remove threats from southern Lebanon. The defense establishment views the damage to the infrastructure as a significant blow to Hezbollah's operational capabilities, especially in the area of UAVs, which is considered one of the organization's main weapons in recent years.