Hezbollah is preparing for a protracted conflict in southern Lebanon, following the loss of its top leadership due to Israeli airstrikes, sources familiar with the group’s operations said.
The group has restructured its military command, which now oversees rocket fire and the ongoing ground conflict. Despite the blows, Hezbollah retains significant weapons, including precision missiles, according to four sources.
The command was disrupted initially after the death of leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah on September 27. Nasrallah and other leaders were killed in an Israeli strike on a bunker in Beirut. Within 72 hours, a new operations center was established, allowing fighters in the south to follow centralized orders.
The reorganization indicates that Hezbollah is shifting to a strategy of attrition against Israeli troops who have crossed into Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes have targeted Hezbollah’s arsenal, but the group continues to launch rocket attacks and resist Israeli ground forces.
Avraham Levine, an analyst with Israeli think-tank Alma, said that despite the damage to the chain of command, Hezbollah remains a formidable threat. The group’s fighters have adapted to carry out orders flexibly based on front-line conditions, as directed by the newly-formed leadership circle.
