Hezbollah is reportedly preparing for a prolonged war of attrition in southern Lebanon after Israeli forces killed its top leadership, including its long-time leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, according to multiple sources cited by Reuters. The Iran-backed group has been severely weakened by Israeli airstrikes but reportedly remains capable of launching rocket attacks.
Sources told Reuters that Hezbollah’s chain of command was disrupted following the assassination of Nasrallah and other key leaders on September 27, but a new “operations room”
was established within 72 hours, allowing the group to resume operations and continue firing rockets toward Israel.
Despite suffering heavy losses, Hezbollah claims to still maintain a substantial arsenal of weapons, including precision-guided missiles that have yet to be deployed. Israeli airstrikes have reportedly damaged some of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure, but the group has preserved its most powerful armaments, keeping them in reserve for a protracted conflict.
Hezbollah’s newly formed military command is operating in total secrecy, according to the field commander speaking to Reuters, with only a small, tight-knit circle of individuals in direct contact with the group’s fighters on the ground. The group has not publicly named a new leader since Nasrallah’s death, and Hezbollah has downplayed reports of major leadership changes. Hezbollah has also been using its extensive network of tunnels in southern Lebanon to counter Israeli incursions. The tunnel system, which Hezbollah has spent years developing, is key to the group’s strategy of attrition warfare according to the source.
Hezbollah’s media office dismissed the Reuters report, particularly claims about a new leadership structure, as “completely false” in a statement issued Friday. The group emphasized that no Hezbollah commanders are speaking to the media about its operations, calling the report “a fantasy of Reuters writers, journalists, and security consultants.”
Expanded Coverage:
