Hezbollah forms new command for long-term fight with Israel

Hezbollah still not unleashing its full power?

Hezbollah has been weakened by three weeks of Israeli air strikes and landings - most notably the assassination of its leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah.

However, the Lebanese militant group still has a significant arsenal, including its most powerful precision missiles yet to be used, according to four sources familiar with the group's operations, despite a wave of airstrikes that Israel says have severely depleted its arsenal.

Hezbollah fighters in the southern suburbs of Beirut, Lebanon on April 5, 2024. Photo: Reuters

Hezbollah's command was disrupted in the first few days after Nasrallah's assassination on September 27 until the militants established a new "operations room" 72 hours later, two sources - a Hezbollah field commander and a source close to the group - told Reuters.

Secretary General Nasrallah was killed along with other Hezbollah leaders and an Iranian commander when Israel located and bombed his deep underground bunker on the outskirts of the Lebanese capital Beirut.

The new command center remains operational despite further Israeli attacks, meaning militants in the south can fire missiles and fight on orders from the central command, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.

A third source, a senior official close to Hezbollah, said the group was now waging a war of attrition. Avraham Levine, an analyst at the Israeli think tank Alma, said it was fair to assume Hezbollah was “well prepared and waiting” for the Israeli military and that it was not an easy target.

Fighters will be able to flexibly carry out orders “according to the capabilities of the front,” Hezbollah’s field commander said, describing the new command as “a narrow circle” with direct communication with the battlefield. It is rare for a Hezbollah field commander to speak to the international media.

He said the new command was operating in complete secrecy and gave no further details about its communications or structure. Hezbollah did not name a new leader to replace Mr Nasrallah, whose likely successor was also killed.

Hezbollah is ready with a vast network of tunnels and trenches

Israel announced on October 1 that ground forces had entered southern Lebanon, initially commandos, then armored and regular infantry units. The Israeli military said on Tuesday that reservists from the 146th Division were now present, bringing the total number of divisions in Lebanon to four. An Israeli division typically consists of more than 1,000 troops.

Israeli troops and Hezbollah fighters are fighting in southern Lebanon. Photo: Israel Defense Forces

Israeli troops are engaged in close combat with Hezbollah units, according to Israel. Twelve Israeli soldiers have been killed in southern Lebanon or northern Israel since the start of the campaign, according to Israeli information.

Hezbollah has a vast network of tunnels in southern Lebanon that were developed after the group's 2006 war with Israel, according to a 2021 report by the Alma think tank. Israel estimates they stretch hundreds of kilometers.

The Hezbollah field commander said the trenches “are the foundation of the battle”. He added that Hezbollah had spent years building them. “Their time has come”, he declared.

The Israeli military has released video footage it says shows deep tunnels taken by its soldiers. One video, released on October 5, appears to show an underground room equipped with a landline phone.

Sources close to Hezbollah said the tunnels discovered by Israel were built so that their Radwan special forces units could one day enter the Galilee region in northern Israel.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/hezbollah-thanh-lap-bo-chi-huy-moi-san-sang-chien-dau-lau-dai-voi-israel-post316465.html