- Hezbollah shifts to guerrilla tactics amid threat of Israeli invasion.
- Fighters deployed in small units, limiting electronic communications.
- Israel intensifies airstrikes on Hezbollah targets across Lebanon.
- Fighting concentrated near Khiyam along Lebanon-Israel border region.
Lebanon's Hezbollah is reverting to its traditional guerrilla warfare tactics as it prepares for the possibility of a full-scale Israeli invasion, according to four Lebanese sources familiar with the group's military operations.
The Iran-backed group is reportedly deploying fighters in small units and minimizing electronic communications to avoid Israeli surveillance. The sources said Hezbollah fighters are also rationing anti-tank rockets and other key weapons as they confront Israeli forces along Lebanon's southern border.
"Hezbollah has studied every Israeli operation since 2006. Small cells, rationed weapons, no phones this is not improvisation. This is a group that has rebuilt its doctrine around the assumption that its communications will always be compromised."
The strategy reflects lessons drawn from Hezbollah's previous war with Israel, which ended in a ceasefire in 2024 after months of heavy fighting. The group has since faced significant losses in manpower, leadership and logistics.
Regional Conflict Shapes Hezbollah's Calculations
The current escalation began last week when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli positions in response to the killing of Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei during the opening phase of the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran.
Israel has responded with a renewed offensive against Hezbollah targets across Lebanon. Israeli airstrikes have struck locations in southern Lebanon, the eastern Bekaa Valley and Beirut's southern suburbs, areas where Hezbollah maintains strong influence.
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According to Israeli military statements, hundreds of Hezbollah targets have been hit since early March. Israeli troops have also reinforced positions in southern Lebanon, where forces have maintained what the military describes as forward defensive positions since the 2024 conflict.
Hezbollah has continued launching daily drone and rocket attacks toward northern Israel. The group says its actions constitute "existential defence" in response to ongoing Israeli military operations.
The conflict has placed Hezbollah under growing domestic pressure in Lebanon. Critics accuse the group of dragging the country into another war that has displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians.
Fighting Concentrated Near Strategic Border Areas
Much of the current fighting has been concentrated near the town of Khiyam in southern Lebanon, close to the intersection of Lebanon's borders with Israel and Syria, according to sources familiar with Hezbollah's strategy. Hezbollah believes this area could become the starting point for a possible Israeli ground invasion.
"Khiyam is not just a town it is a junction. Whoever controls the ground around it controls the entry point from three directions. Hezbollah knows that. So does Israel."
The group has reportedly redeployed elite Radwan fighters to the region after withdrawing them under the 2024 ceasefire agreement. An Israeli security source said Hezbollah does not appear to be seeking de-escalation and instead seems to be stabilizing its command structure despite battlefield losses.
According to two Lebanese sources, Hezbollah has appointed multiple deputies for senior commanders to ensure continuity of operations if leaders are targeted.
Israel has reported two soldier deaths during the current fighting in Lebanon. Meanwhile, Hezbollah's attacks have continued to include drones and rockets targeting northern Israel.
Communication Changes After Intelligence Breaches
Hezbollah's shift toward low-tech communication methods follows major intelligence breaches during the 2024 conflict.
Lebanese officials involved in the group's internal investigation said Israel had infiltrated Hezbollah's private communications network and also compromised hundreds of pagers used by fighters.
As a result, Hezbollah units are now avoiding electronic devices that could be intercepted or tracked by Israeli intelligence systems.
Founded in 1982 with support from Iran's Revolutionary Guards, Hezbollah emerged as a major force in Lebanon after leading the campaign that forced Israel to withdraw from southern Lebanon in 2000.
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However, the group's military role and regional alliances have also made it a central player in Middle Eastern conflicts. Hezbollah's current strategy appears aimed at sustaining a prolonged confrontation while avoiding large-scale losses, as both sides prepare for the possibility of a wider regional war.
