Hezbollah has resumed construction at an underground weapons manufacturing site in the heart of the Al-Shuwaifat neighborhood in southern Beirut, in direct violation of the existing ceasefire understandings with Israel. The information was revealed Wednesday by IDF Arabic-language spokesperson Lt. Col. Avichay Adraee.
Site Located Near School and Under Civilian Buildings
According to the IDF, the site was previously targeted in an Israeli airstrike in November 2024 and is located beneath civilian infrastructure and next to a school—a strategy frequently used by Hezbollah to deter strikes and shield its military operations from international scrutiny.
Aerial surveillance image of the Hezbollah site before inspection| Photo: IDF Spokesperson’s Unit:
#عاجل هكذا يحاول حزب الله اعمار موقع إنتاج في الضاحية الجنوبية ويُخفي نشاطه عن آلية الرقابة ويكذب على اللبنانيين: خلال تفتيش مفاجئ اختفت الآليات الهندسية، وعادت إلى العمل بعد انتهائه خلافًا لاتفاق وقف إطلاق النار
يكشف جيش الدفاع أن حزب الله يحاول خلال الأشهر الأخيرة إعادة… pic.twitter.com/kdv9PoDog0
— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) April 9, 2025
Despite its earlier destruction, Hezbollah has begun restoration efforts at the site in recent months.
Hezbollah Evaded Surprise Inspection
Israel reports that the information about resumed activity was shared with international inspection monitors in early January, prompting a surprise inspection to be scheduled. However, aerial surveillance footage indicates that Hezbollah was tipped off about the inspection in advance and managed to evacuate all construction and engineering equipment from the site on the same day.
Once the inspection ended, the machinery reportedly returned to the site and resumed operations—highlighting both Hezbollah’s intent and the limitations of international oversight.
The IDF condemned the action as a “serious breach” of security arrangements between Israel and Lebanon.
“The IDF will continue to act to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel and prevent Hezbollah from entrenching itself in the region,” the military said in a statement.
Growing Concern in Beirut Over Possible Israeli Retaliation
In response to the revelation, there is growing concern in Lebanon that Israel may launch a preemptive strike on the Lebanese capital to eliminate the threat posed by the renewed underground facility.
