Israel's Alma Center: Hezbollah's Tunnels Cost Billions of Dollars

The Israel-based Alma Research and Training Center suggested that the tunnel network built by Hezbollah in southern Lebanon is one of the largest underground military infrastructure projects in the region. The center announced that it estimates the investment made in this project over the last twenty years ranges between one billion and three billion dollars. These assessments were prepared by military engineering experts based on information that emerged, especially after the war started in October 2023.

According to the Alma Center's claim, the tunnel network does not only consist of attack tunnels extending across the border; it also houses strategic and tactical tunnels, as well as weapon depots, command rooms, and launch pads. It was suggested that this underground network was developed with the support of Iran and North Korea for over twenty years. Additionally, it was noted that the network includes vast areas that the Israeli army discovered or destroyed during the war.

The report stated that the rocky terrain in southern Lebanon significantly increased construction costs, with thousands of dollars spent per meter. It is estimated that the total costs reached millions of dollars for each facility, due to the presence of ventilation systems, electrical grids, and logistical areas in these underground facilities. All the data subject to the report are based on the claims of the Alma Center, and no independent verification has been provided by Hezbollah.