Hezbollah has learned lessons from previous war, using guerrilla tactics and avoiding surveillance

The adjustments reflect Hezbollah’s internal assessment that a direct war with Israel is unavoidable.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

Hezbollah fighters are shifting to dispersed, guerrilla-style tactics and limiting the use of key weapons as the Iran-backed group braces for a potential wider confrontation with Israel, sources familiar with the group’s preparations told Reuters.

The sources said Hezbollah units are now operating in small formations and taking measures to avoid Israeli surveillance, including refraining from using communication devices that could be intercepted.

Fighters have also been instructed to conserve anti-tank rockets, which are considered among the group’s most valuable battlefield assets.

The adjustments reflect Hezbollah’s internal assessment that a direct war with Israel is unavoidable, the sources said.

The group’s current strategy also takes into account the survival of Iran’s leadership, which Hezbollah views as an important factor in shaping the regional conflict.

Much of the recent fighting involving Hezbollah on the ground has been concentrated near the southern Lebanese town of Khiyam.

The area lies close to the meeting point of the Lebanese, Israeli, and Syrian borders and has been a focal point for clashes with Israeli troops.

Sources said Hezbollah has reverted to methods associated with insurgent warfare, emphasizing mobility and smaller units rather than large formations.

The goal, according to the sources, is to maintain operational capability while limiting exposure to Israeli military advantages.

Conservation of anti-tank rockets is a key part of that approach.

Hezbollah fighters are using the weapons selectively as engagements with Israeli forces continue, preserving their supply for what the group believes could be a prolonged conflict.

The tighter operational discipline also extends to communications. According to the sources, fighters are avoiding electronic devices that might be vulnerable to Israeli interception, reducing the risk that their positions or plans could be detected.

Reuters reported last week that Hezbollah’s elite Radwan fighters had returned to southern Lebanon after withdrawing from the area following the 2024 ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah.

According to that report, Radwan forces have reappeared near Khiyam, where Hezbollah units have been engaged in combat with Israeli troops.

Sources said the group is preparing for the possibility of an Israeli ground incursion and has structured its forces accordingly, adopting tactics intended to sustain fighting if the conflict expands.