Iran’s semi-official Fars News Agency, which is close to the Revolutionary Guard, has denied reports suggesting that members of the Revolutionary Guard had been trapped in the tunnels of the Ali al-Taher ridge in south Lebanon prior to Israel’s seizure of the strategic area.

The agency clarified that the two tunnels in Ali al-Taher contained 48 Hezbollah operatives during the battles for control of the hill, noting that eight of the Lebanese fighters were killed.