Transcript [00:00] Lebanese security forces intercepted a [00:03] vehicle traveling between the Bekaa [00:04] Valley and Beirut and discovered 780 kg [00:09] of explosives, [00:10] including TNT and C4. [00:13] Two men were detained, and then [00:15] something extraordinary happened. [00:18] Hezbollah publicly admitted that the [00:20] shipment belonged to the organization [00:23] and demanded that the Lebanese [00:25] government return it. [00:27] One of its own lawmakers confirmed that [00:30] the explosives were intended for use [00:31] against Israeli forces in southern [00:34] Lebanon. [00:35] So, why is Hezbollah, after suffering [00:37] some of the worst military defeats in [00:40] its history, openly preparing for [00:43] another confrontation with Israel? [00:45] I'm Matti Shoshani. This is your ground [00:48] report from Boots on the Ground. [00:51] The United States is warning Lebanon [00:53] against allowing Hezbollah to drag the [00:56] country into another regional war. [00:58] Reports from Lebanon suggest that Iran [01:01] is pressuring the organization to [01:03] prepare for renewed attacks. While [01:05] Israel has reinforced its northern [01:07] defenses, [01:08] there's still no independently confirmed [01:10] order for Hezbollah to launch a new [01:12] offensive. [01:14] But the seized explosives tell us [01:16] something important. Despite the [01:18] negotiations, despite the pressure from [01:20] Washington, [01:22] Hezbollah is still trying to preserve [01:24] its ability to fight. [01:26] That's particularly striking when you [01:28] consider what Israel has already done to [01:31] the organization. [01:32] The Pager operation devastated [01:34] Hezbollah's communications and its [01:37] network. Its long-time leader Hassan [01:39] Nasrallah was eliminated. Senior [01:42] commanders, missile launchers, weapon [01:43] depots, and positions belonging to the [01:46] elite Radwan force were all targeted. [01:49] Israeli forces pushed deeper into [01:51] southern Lebanon, taking control of [01:52] strategic terrain, and dismantling the [01:55] infrastructure Hezbollah had built along [01:57] the border. [01:58] Perhaps the most remarkable example [02:00] happened beneath the Ali el-Taher Ridge, [02:03] overlooking the approaches to Nabatieh [02:05] and the Litani River. [02:07] Israeli forces uncovered two major [02:09] underground passages stretching more [02:11] than 2 km. They were part of a wider [02:14] network of eight tunnels totaling [02:16] approximately 5.4 km or 3.4 mi. [02:20] Inside [music] were Iranian-made [02:22] rockets, anti-tank missiles, drones, [02:25] hundreds of mines, and a command complex [02:28] belonging to Hezbollah's Bader unit. [02:31] The organization had spent roughly 20 [02:33] [music] years developing this [02:35] underground fortress with Iranian [02:37] assistance. [02:39] And to destroy the two major passages [02:42] beneath the ridge, the IDF used more [02:44] than 1,100 metric tons of explosives. [02:48] Now, [02:48] >> [music] [02:49] >> imagine the force required to bring down [02:51] that much infrastructure. [02:53] And yet, the difficult part began long [02:56] before the detonation. Soldiers had to [02:58] locate the entrances, understand the [03:00] underground layout, investigate the [03:02] chambers, and make sure the network [03:05] could no longer be used. [music] Fighter [03:07] jets can destroy a building from above, [03:10] but an underground command center [03:12] presents [music] a much more complicated [03:14] problem. [03:15] At Kantara, another Hezbollah tunnel [03:17] complex extended approximately 2 km [03:20] and reached depths of 25 m. [03:23] It reportedly contained around 30 shafts [03:26] and 30 rooms, including living quarters [03:29] and weapon storage. [03:30] In el-Khiam, Israeli forces discovered [03:33] underground infrastructure beneath what [03:35] appeared to be an ordinary clothing [03:37] store. [03:38] I was there in person and saw it [03:40] firsthand. [03:41] Hezbollah had built military facilities [03:44] >> [music] [03:44] >> into the physical structure of civilian [03:46] communities, creating a battlefield that [03:49] could not be understood simply by [03:51] looking at the buildings above. Now [03:53] imagine what could change if an Israeli [03:56] engineering unit arrived at one of these [03:58] tunnels carrying a machine that could do [04:01] the most dangerous work before soldier [04:03] ever entered. [04:05] Because this is exactly where remarkable [04:08] Israeli-American technology company [04:10] enters the [music] story. [04:12] The company is called Traycer. [04:14] Its founders are Yadin Soffer, Asher [04:17] Katz, and Gilad Adin. [04:20] Katz previously served [music] in an [04:21] Israeli military unit specializing in [04:24] underground threats. [04:26] The company has attracted $25 million in [04:28] investment along with engineers [04:30] experienced in advanced tunneling and [04:32] manufacturing technologies. [04:35] Its first [music] machine looks more [04:36] like a miniature construction excavator [04:39] than a traditional military robot. [04:40] >> [music] [04:41] >> It's roughly 17 and 1/2 inches wide and [04:44] weighs about half a metric ton. [04:45] >> [music] [04:45] >> Equipped with cameras, a hydraulic [04:47] digging mechanism, and remote controls, [04:50] it's designed to enter confined spaces, [04:53] >> [music] [04:53] >> remove debris, breach obstructions, and [04:56] help dismantle tunnel infrastructure. [04:58] Now picture an engineering team [05:01] >> [music] [05:01] >> outside a suspected Hezbollah tunnel. [05:03] A robotic operator watches video [05:05] >> [music] [05:06] >> from inside the passage while an [05:07] engineer studies the obstacles ahead. [05:10] The machine moves into the darkness. [05:12] >> [music] [05:12] >> Its cameras reveal a concrete barrier, [05:14] damaged walls, or a blocked passage. [05:17] Instead of immediately sending soldiers [05:19] inside [music] to investigate, the team [05:21] can use the robot to begin clearing the [05:23] obstruction and gathering information. [05:26] The commander then decides what can [05:28] safely happen next. [05:30] An early Traycer prototype [music] [05:32] was actually tested inside a Hamas [05:33] tunnel in Gaza with Israeli defense [05:36] [music] defense involvement. Now the [05:38] company's chief executive [05:40] acknowledged that the experiment [music] [05:42] did not achieve everything they hoped [05:44] for. [05:45] But the prototype was in development [05:48] approximately 60 days and the test [05:50] helped demonstrate [05:51] >> [music] [05:51] >> that tunnel demolition could be [05:53] approached as an engineering problem [05:55] rather than relying entirely on [05:57] explosives. [05:58] That distinction matters. [music] [06:00] It means replacing at least some of the [06:02] dangerous physical work with machines [06:05] while soldiers remain responsible [06:06] [music] [06:07] for the mission. [06:09] Now [06:10] for families in northern Israel [06:13] rebuilding after war isn't something [06:14] that happens overnight. Homes can be [06:17] repaired and roads can reopen but [06:20] restoring life to communities that have [06:22] suffered so much takes time, takes [06:25] commitment [music] and people who care. [06:27] Now through TBN's rebuild Israel [06:29] campaign we're helping plant an apple [06:31] orchard in [06:33] >> [music] [06:33] >> in an area deeply affected by the [06:35] fighting along Israel's northern border. [06:37] And this is about much more than [06:39] planting [music] trees. It means [06:41] creating jobs, supporting local [06:43] families, restoring the land [music] [06:46] and helping communities build a stronger [06:48] future. [06:49] Now for those of us who believe in God's [06:51] promise to Israel [music] [06:52] there's something especially meaningful [06:54] about seeing this land bloom again. [06:57] Every tree [music] is an investment in [06:58] the future. Every donation reminds the [07:01] families living here [07:03] that they have not been forgotten. [07:05] So visit tbn.org/rebuildisrael [07:08] today [07:09] or call 800-804-7895 [07:13] and help us bring new life to Israel's [07:15] north. [07:16] Rebuild the land, restore hope and bless [07:20] the future. [07:21] Now let's get back to the report. [07:23] So TriStar's next development [07:26] >> [music] [07:26] >> takes the idea much further. [07:28] The company is working on a machine that [07:30] would not even need to ex- existing [07:32] tunnel entrances. [07:33] Think of a long metal cylinder with a [07:36] drilling head at the front. Behind it [07:38] are the motors, guidance equipment and [07:40] mechanisms required to move through the [07:42] ground. [07:43] Instead of following a passage dug by [07:45] the enemy, [07:46] >> [music] [07:46] >> the machine attempts to create its own. [07:49] This principle already exists in [07:50] civilian engineering [07:52] >> [music] [07:52] >> where guided drilling mechanisms [07:54] install pipes and cables beneath roads [07:57] without digging an open trench. Now, [07:59] apply that technology to military [08:01] operations. [08:02] A robotic boring system could [08:04] potentially carry sensors, communication [08:07] equipment, or specialized payloads [08:09] underground. Rather than approaching a [08:11] protected facility only from the air or [08:14] through its existing entrance, [music] [08:16] an army might eventually be able to [08:18] establish another route of access. [08:21] There's an important limitation. [08:23] A machine cannot magically swim through [08:24] solid rock. Every meter requires [08:27] mechanical force, [08:28] >> [music] [08:28] >> energy, and a way to manage the [08:30] excavated material. Its speed, depth, [08:32] navigation accuracy, and performance [08:35] against [music] heavily fortified rock [08:37] have not been publicly demonstrated at [08:39] an operational level. [08:41] The technology is promising, but there [08:43] is no evidence that such a machine [08:45] >> [music] [08:45] >> can currently penetrate an Iranian [08:47] mountain fortress. [08:48] And this brings us to the American [08:50] billionaire who believes this entire [08:52] approach could transform warfare. [08:55] His name [music] is Palmer Lucky. [08:58] Lucky became famous [09:00] well, for developing the Oculus virtual [09:02] reality headset, which [music] Facebook [09:04] acquired in a deal valued at [09:06] approximately $2 billion. [09:08] He later co-founded Anduril, one of [09:11] America's fastest-growing defense [09:12] technology companies. [09:14] And instead of building video game [09:16] worlds, [09:16] >> [music] [09:16] >> he is now developing technologies [09:18] designed to change real battlefields. [09:21] Lucky believes the underground [09:22] environment may become one of the [09:25] defining military frontiers. [09:27] >> [music] [09:27] >> He has publicly said that Anduril [09:29] possesses working prototypes of [09:31] subterranean systems capable of [09:34] producing physical, [music] electronic, [09:36] and other effects. [09:38] However, the company [09:39] >> [music] [09:39] >> has not released enough technical [09:41] information to establish exactly what [09:43] those prototypes can accomplish. [09:46] Now, [09:46] >> [music] [09:47] >> there's also a significant Israeli [09:48] connection. Anduril has expanded its [09:51] engagement with Israel's defense [09:53] contractors. [music] [09:55] With Israel's defense industry, [09:57] including cooperation with Elbit [09:58] Systems, [10:00] investors associated with Anduril have [10:02] separately supported Tracers. [10:04] >> [music] [10:04] >> And that does not mean Tracers robots [10:07] belong to Anduril or that the two [10:09] companies have already integrated their [10:11] systems, [music] but their work reflects [10:13] a similar understanding of where [10:15] military technology is heading. [10:17] The really interesting development isn't [10:19] necessarily the machine itself. [10:22] It's what happens when machines, [10:23] sensors, and human operators begin [10:26] working through a shared command system. [10:29] Anduril calls its software platform [10:31] Lattice. [10:33] Imagine a military commander looking at [10:35] one digital map. [10:36] >> [music] [10:36] >> Information arrives from a [10:37] reconnaissance drone, ground sensors, [10:40] cameras, and a robot inside a tunnel. [10:43] Software helps organize that [10:44] information, identify relevant changes, [10:47] and present possible responses. [10:49] The commander can then assign tasks to [10:51] different systems within the rules and [10:54] authority governing their operation. [10:56] This doesn't mean artificial [10:57] intelligence has independently [music] [10:59] decided whom to attack, [11:01] nor does it mean that Tracers machines [11:04] are already connected to Lattice in [11:06] Israeli combat operations. It [11:08] illustrates the direction of [11:09] development. Troops making decisions [11:12] with better information while remotely [11:14] operated and increasingly autonomous [11:16] systems undertake specific [music] [11:18] tasks. [11:20] Now, before we continue, [11:22] help us share the truth from Israel. [11:24] If you value the reporting we bring you [11:26] from these battlefields, like this [11:27] [music] report, share it with someone [11:29] who needs to understand what is [11:30] happening here, and subscribe to Boots [11:32] on the Ground. Now, since October 7th, [11:35] you followed us from Gaza, the [11:37] Israeli-Lebanon border, and the front [11:39] lines across this war. You prayed for us [11:41] and our [music] families through some of [11:43] the hardest days we've ever faced. And [11:46] those prayers kept us going. [11:48] Through it all, we have watched God turn [11:50] unimaginable challenges [music] into [11:52] opportunities and witnessed what we [11:54] believe are biblical-level miracles in [11:57] our modern day. [11:59] Now, Giyora Pinto tells that journey in [12:01] his new book, Boots on the Ground. [12:04] Become a monthly supporter with a gift [12:06] of $50 or more and receive a personally [12:09] signed copy while supplies last. Go to [12:12] tbn.org/bootsontheground. [music] [12:15] Do that today [12:16] or call 800-804-7895. [music] [12:21] Now, back to the report. [12:23] Consider what Anduril has accomplished [12:25] above ground. [12:27] Its Barracuda 500-M cruise missile was [12:30] designed around a problem that American [12:32] and Israeli military planners know very [12:34] well. Advanced weapons are expensive, [12:37] >> [music] [12:37] >> and a prolonged war can consume enormous [12:39] quantities of ammunition. The United [12:42] States has signed a framework agreement [12:44] covering at least 3,000 [music] [12:46] surface-launched Barracuda systems over [12:48] 3 years. [12:49] And according to the manufacturer, [12:51] approximately 70% of the missiles and [12:54] their components are commercially [12:56] available types. [12:57] And one system can be assembled in [13:00] roughly 30 working hours with basic [13:02] tools. [13:03] The objective is to produce long-range [13:04] precision weapons on a scale that [13:06] traditional manufacturing struggles to [13:09] achieve. [13:10] This is not a replacement for a massive [13:11] bunker-busting bomb. A missile with a [13:14] relatively small warhead can't perform [13:16] the same mission as a specialized heavy [13:19] penetrator. [13:20] But against many other military targets, [13:22] the ability to manufacture and replenish [13:24] weapons quickly [13:26] could become a strategic advantage. [13:28] Just days ago, the United States [13:30] demonstrated another part [music] of [13:32] this technological shift. During a test [13:34] announced by the Air Force, a pilot [13:36] trying an F-22 Raptor issued tactical [13:39] commands to an unmanned YMQ-44A Fury [13:43] aircraft developed by Anduril. [13:46] The robotic aircraft interpreted those [13:48] commands and carried out flight [13:49] maneuvers and simulated combat tasks. [13:53] The pilot was not steering the drone [13:54] with a joystick through the flight. He [13:56] was assigning a mission while the [13:58] aircraft's autonomous systems managed [14:01] parts of its execution. [14:03] It remains a development program rather [14:05] than a large operational fleet. [14:08] But the test showed how human pilots may [14:11] eventually control several aircraft [14:13] without personally flying each one. [14:15] Now return to the underground [14:16] battlefield and consider Iran. [14:19] Near the Natanz nuclear complex stands a [14:22] heavily fortified site known as Pickaxe [14:25] Mountain. [14:25] >> [music] [14:26] >> Some outside estimate [14:28] place its underground sections [14:30] approximately at 80 to 100 m beneath the [14:33] surface. [14:34] Although the precise depth and layout [14:36] have not been independently established. [14:38] Satellite analysis has shown extensive [14:40] construction and reinforcement. [14:43] But it has now been confirmed that [14:45] uranium enrichment is taking place [14:46] inside. Now, this is precisely the kind [14:49] of military problem that inspires [14:51] underground robotic research. [14:53] Even an extremely powerful air strike [14:55] can't automatically tell commanders what [14:58] happened in every chamber deep inside a [15:00] mountain. [15:01] Future robotic systems might help [15:03] deliver sensors, investigate [15:05] inaccessible spaces, or create new [15:08] approaches to harden infrastructure. But [15:11] successfully operating against a [15:12] facility like Pickaxe Mountain remains a [15:16] future ambition, not a demonstrated [15:18] capability. [15:19] The underground revolution also has a [15:22] defensive side. [15:24] Tristar has introduced a truck-mounted [15:26] boring concept called Terminus, [15:29] developed with Armada to help place [15:31] protected computing infrastructure [15:33] beneath the ground. [15:35] Israel is similarly examining ways to [15:37] expand domestic military production [15:39] and protect critical industry during [15:42] prolonged wars. [15:44] That brings us back to Hezbollah. [15:46] The organization has lost commanders, [15:48] weapons, and underground fortresses. [15:51] But the explosives intercepted in [15:53] Lebanon, well, they show that its [15:55] confrontation with the Lebanese state [15:58] and Israel remains unresolved. [16:00] Washington is pushing for disarmament [16:03] and diplomatic arrangements. [16:05] Beirut wants Israeli forces to withdraw, [16:07] while Israel maintains that Hezbollah [16:09] must not be allowed to rebuild a [16:11] military threat along its northern [16:13] border. [16:14] In the years ahead, the greatest [16:16] technological change may be the ability [16:19] to investigate [16:20] >> [music] [16:20] >> and operate beneath enemy defenses [16:23] without exposing soldiers to every [16:25] underground danger. [16:26] The question is whether Israel and its [16:28] allies [16:29] can develop the capabilities before [16:31] Hezbollah and Iran build the next [16:33] generation of fortresses. [16:36] So, keep spreading the truth. Follow us [16:38] most importantly, don't forget to click [16:39] the subscribe button so that you stay [16:41] tuned to the truth in real time and [16:44] never miss boots on the ground. [16:46] >> [music] [16:46] >> Keep looking for me, Mati Shoshani, and [16:48] Ayoub Pinto on social media to see life [16:51] in Israel through our eyes. [16:53] And as always, I want to ask you to join [16:55] me [16:55] >> [music] [16:55] >> in prayer. And this time, I want to [16:57] explain how we pray for miracles to take [17:00] place. God tends to work through people, [17:03] through engineers, through leaders, [17:05] through prime ministers, [music] [17:06] through presidents, through soldiers on [17:09] the ground. That is very commonplace. [17:11] And I want to ask [music] you to [17:12] continue praying for those innovating [17:15] and developing and building weapon [17:17] systems and defensive systems both for [17:19] Israel and the United States to fight [17:22] against our enemies. This war is very [17:24] much both spiritual and practical. [17:27] It is both a war taking place on the [17:30] ground but also in the heavenly realms [17:32] >> [music] [17:32] >> and we need to stand in prayer for [17:34] protection for our people, [17:36] for the developers of these weapon [17:38] systems and above all pray for the peace [17:41] of Jerusalem. And if you're ever [17:42] confused, we just say the Lord's prayer. [17:45] Pray for God's will to be done on earth [17:47] as it is in heaven. [17:49] Be blessed and I'll see you all the next [17:51] time. Hello, this is Mati here in [17:53] Jerusalem with TBN Israel. [17:55] >> This is Yaakov Pinto from TBN Israel [17:57] here in Jerusalem. TBN Israel is keeping [18:00] viewers informed with Israel focused [18:02] news, culture, and what God is doing in [18:05] this land. [18:06] >> Support TBN Israel today online at [18:08] tbn.org/israel. [18:11] Thank you.
After Lebanese security forces seized 780 kg of TNT and C4 and Hezbollah publicly demanded it back, Mati Shoshani asks why the organization is still preparing to fight despite its losses. He revisits what the IDF found underground in southern Lebanon: eight tunnels totaling about 5.4 km beneath the Ali al-Taher ridge, demolished with more than 1,100 tons of explosives, plus complexes at Kantara and Khiam. He then looks at the companies trying to turn tunnel warfare into an engineering problem, including the Israeli-American startup Trasar and its tunnel-clearing robot, first tested in a Hamas tunnel in Gaza, and its next-generation boring machine. Mati also covers Palmer Luckey's Anduril, its Lattice command software, the low-cost Barracuda missile, and the recent F-22 test commanding an unmanned Fury aircraft. He closes with Iran's Pickaxe Mountain near Natanz, careful to separate demonstrated capabilities from future ambitions. Stay up-to-date with the latest developments here on TBN Israel.
Since October 7th, you've followed us from Gaza, the Israel-Lebanon border, and front lines across this war. You prayed for us and our families through some of the hardest days we've ever faced, and those prayers kept us going. Through it all, we have watched God turn unimaginable challenges into opportunities and witnessed biblical-level miracles in our modern day. That journey is now told in Yair Pinto's new book, Boots on the Ground. Become a monthly supporter with a gift of $50 or more and receive a personally signed copy while supplies last. Go to https://www.tbn.org/bootsontheground or call 800-804-7895
Please join us in praying for the peace of Israel and Jerusalem.
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