Hezbollah Weakened By Israeli Strikes, Vows Retaliation Without Limits

In the wake of an Israeli airstrike that leveled a nine-story apartment building in Beirut’s southern suburb, Hezbollah finds itself in one of its darkest moments. The attack targeted a meeting of the group’s elite Radwan force commanders, killing at least 45 people, including women and children. Among the dead were 16 Hezbollah militants, including Radwan force leader Ibrahim Aqil and senior commander Ahmad Wehbe.

This devastating blow comes after a series of attacks earlier in the week that demonstrated unprecedented infiltration of Hezbollah’s communications network. Two days before the airstrike, hundreds of Hezbollah members’ walkie-talkies exploded simultaneously, followed by the detonation of thousands of Hezbollah pagers that maimed hundreds. At least 80 people died in total during these incidents, mainly consisting of Hezbollah members, but also including civilians, such as women and children.

Hezbollah, a major non-state fighting force globally, is currently facing its most serious military and intelligence breach in 40 years. The infiltration by Israelis has deeply unsettled the group, leading to accurate airstrikes that have greatly disrupted its leadership hierarchy. Lebanese security sources report rising panic within the group, whose secrecy has been stripped away.

In a public address on Saturday, Lebanon’s Interior Minister Bassam Mawlawi condemned the attacks, vowing to increase surveillance on “foreigners, hotels, and Syrian camps,” and calling the situation an Israeli “breach” of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Hezbollah’s military setbacks come at a critical juncture in its long-standing conflict with Israel. The group had hoped that its limited engagement along the Israel-Lebanon border would strengthen Hamas’ position in Gaza negotiations. However, with no ceasefire in sight, the cost of Hezbollah’s confrontation with Israel has risen sharply, pushing both sides closer to the brink of full-scale war.

In response to the Israeli strikes, Hezbollah’s second-in-command, Naim Qassem, declared that the group was entering “a battle without limits.” Early on Sunday, Hezbollah launched its most forceful retaliation since the border confrontations began last October. The organization stated they had attacked the Ramat David airbase and Rafael military industries site near Haifa, representing one of the most significant strikes in Israeli territory since the 2006 Lebanon-Israel war.

Hezbollah has reportedly used its new medium-range rockets, Fadi-1 and Fadi-2, in the attack, which is a notable change from their usual short-range weapons. The attacks are viewed as an effort to regain some of the organization’s capability to deter.

As tensions rise, Hezbollah and Israel are developing new and unspoken rules for how they engage with each other. Before, if Israel launched strikes in Beirut, it would have probably resulted in a significant counterattack in Israeli cities; however, that is no longer the case. Indeed, Israel has carried out several airstrikes in Beirut since January, receiving minimal retaliation from Hezbollah.

Even with significant losses, Hezbollah continues to show defiance. At a funeral for three fighters killed in Friday’s airstrike, one supporter summed up the group’s resolve: “War is a boxing match. One day you win, another day you lose… We are all ready to spill blood for Nasrallah.”