Israel's Iranian Strategy: A Case of "Hezbollah-Inspired" Aggression
Hezbollah's tactics potentially implicated in the recent Iranian assault, according to the expert's suspicion.
Maha Jahja, a seasoned Middle East expert, claims that Israel is employing a "Hezbollah-inspired" approach in its current strategy against Iran. Instead of solely targeting the nuclear program, Israel seems to be going after tactical objectives, leadership, and broader infrastructure - a strategy that Jahja suggests could have been learned from the Israel-Hezbollah conflicts. However, Iran, being a nation with state institutions, isn't Hezbollah, according to Jahja.
Hezbollah, a significant non-state ally of Iran, has long been acting as an extension of the Islamic Republic at Israel's borders, serving as a state within a state in Lebanon. But since the recent war last fall, Hezbollah has been significantly weakened.
Israel's alleged tactics involve decapitating the leadership, executing preemptive strikes, and employing shock tactics to disrupt the enemy's capacities and prepare the ground for broader, phased campaigns. The goal is to send clear messages about target selection and public statements, often creating the impression that Israel is at war with the regime or militant group, not the civilian population[2][3][4].
Applying this "Hezbollah-inspired" strategy to Iran, Israel is targeting top military leaders and key nuclear and military installations, aiming to disrupt Iran’s command structure and prevent escalation[2][3][4]. But, as a sovereign state with more institutional resilience and strategic depth, Iran may prove to be less vulnerable when it comes to these tactics than a non-state militia like Hezbollah[3].
While Hezbollah in Lebanon's strategy differs significantly from Israel's playbook and its current threats, it has experienced setbacks in recent years, particularly after Israel's targeted assassinations of key leaders and the exploitation of vulnerabilities like the 2024 pager attacks that crippled Hezbollah’s communications[1][5]. The collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and resulting border security cooperation between Lebanon and Syria have also disrupted Hezbollah’s traditional supply routes, further weakening its position[1].
In Other Middle East Conflicts:
The nature of the war between Israel and Hezbollah was demonstrated during the war when Hezbollah began firing rockets at Israel’s northern neighbor in solidarity with Hamas at the start of the Gaza war. Israel responded by killing many Hezbollah leaders, including its long-time secretary-general, Hassan Nasrallah, and destroying Hezbollah-controlled areas, including many densely populated residential areas[1]. Despite the ceasefire, Israel continues to attack almost daily in Lebanon, causing casualties.
- Hezbollah
- Israel
- Iran
Sources:1. ntv.de2. spl/dpa3. Research by International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS)4. Analysis by the Washington Institute for Near East Policy (WINEP)5. George Washington University Program on Extremism report
- The Commission has also been consulted on the draft directive regarding Israel's strategy towards Iran, considering the apparent use of a "Hezbollah-inspired" approach, which involves targeting leadership, disrupting key infrastructure, and executing preemptive strikes.
- In the realm of general news and politics, war-and-conflicts continue to spark debate as Israel's alleged tactics towards Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran are contrasted, with Iran, as a sovereign state, being less susceptible to these tactics due to its state institutions and strategic depth compared to Hezbollah.
