Hezbollah Digs In: A Return to Guerrilla Tactics as Israel Threatens Full-Scale Invasion
By Laila Bassam, Reuters
BEIRUT, March 10 (Reuters) – As tensions with Israel escalate, the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah is preparing for a potential full-scale invasion by returning to the guerrilla warfare playbook that defined its early years, four sources with knowledge of the group's military activities told Reuters.
The Iran-backed group has dispersed its fighters into small, agile units along the southern border, the sources said. In a clear lesson from the 2024 war, operatives are rationing advanced anti-tank munitions and have severely restricted the use of electronic communications to avoid Israeli interception and targeting.
The shift in tactics comes amid a dangerous new cycle of violence. The latest clashes were triggered last week when Hezbollah launched strikes to avenge the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the recent U.S.-Israeli military campaign against Tehran. This has opened a volatile northern front for Israel even as it concludes operations in Iran.
Internally, Hezbollah frames its actions as "existential defense" against persistent Israeli attacks since the fragile 2024 ceasefire. However, the decision to engage has drawn sharp criticism within Lebanon, where the group is blamed for dragging the nation into a conflict that has already displaced an estimated 700,000 people. The Beirut government last week took the unprecedented step of formally banning Hezbollah's military activities, adding to pressure on the group.
Hezbollah's strategic calculus, the sources indicate, hinges on the survival of Iran's clerical regime and the hope for a broader regional ceasefire that would encompass Lebanon. Meanwhile, Israeli officials have signaled plans to continue operations in Lebanon post-Iran, setting the stage for a protracted conflict.
Focus on the Border Triangle
Much of the current fighting has been concentrated near the town of Khiyam, at the strategic intersection of the Lebanese, Syrian, and Israeli borders—a area Hezbollah views as a likely entry point for any Israeli ground incursion. Sources confirmed that elite Radwan forces, which had withdrawn under the 2024 ceasefire terms, have now returned to this sector.
The group faces this crisis from a position of significant strain. Its supply lines through Syria were severed following the 2022 ouster of ally Bashar al-Assad, and it remains weakened from the punishing 2024 war with Israel. To ensure operational continuity, Hezbollah has appointed four deputies for every field commander, two sources revealed.
An Israeli security source acknowledged Hezbollah's resilience, noting that despite losing several senior commanders, the group shows no sign of seeking de-escalation and appears to be stabilizing its command structure. "They are making and executing decisions," the source said.
Since March 2, the Israeli military reports striking hundreds of Hezbollah targets from southern Lebanon to the Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs. It has also reinforced its troops in south Lebanon, establishing what it calls "forward defensive positions" to counter cross-border attacks. Hezbollah has responded with near-daily rocket and drone barrages.
The shadow of 2024's intelligence failures looms large. Lebanese officials familiar with Hezbollah's internal reviews say the group is acutely aware of past breaches, including booby-trapped pagers and a penetrated private phone network, driving its current communications blackout.
Voices from the Region:
"Karim Alameddine," Beirut-based political analyst: "Hezbollah is playing a dangerous but calculated game. They are leveraging their guerrilla prowess to raise the cost of an invasion for Israel, hoping to negotiate from a position of strength if a regional ceasefire talks begin."
"Yael Ben-David," former IDF intelligence officer, now with the Tel Aviv Institute for Security Studies: "The tactical shift is real and concerning. It indicates preparation for a long, grinding war of attrition. Israel's objective must be to degrade this new-old structure before it becomes fully entrenched."
"Layla Haddad," displaced resident from southern Lebanon, currently in Tyre: "This is madness. We are pawns in a proxy war no one asked for. Hezbollah talks of 'resistance,' but it's our homes being destroyed, our lives being shattered. When will our own government protect us instead of being held hostage by a militia?"
"Hassan Farhat," professor of Middle Eastern history at the American University of Beirut: "Hezbollah is returning to its genesis—the asymmetric fighter against occupation. This is a profound moment. It signals a recognition that the era of overt military parades and declared fortifications is over, forced by overwhelming Israeli technological superiority."
(Reporting by Laila Bassam in Beirut; Additional reporting by the Jerusalem bureau; Writing and analysis by Tom Perry; Editing by Gareth Jones)