Hezbollah military tactics book

Hezbollah has a military branch known as almuqawama alislamiyya the islamic resistance and is the possible sponsor of a number of lesserknown militant groups, some of which may be little more than fronts for hezbollah itself, including the organization of the oppressed, the revolutionary justice organization, the organization of right. S and french military personnel in 1984 and the 1985 retreat of the israelis from. National security interests in the middle east prepared testimony of daniel byman professor and senior associate dean, edmund a. You should definitely read this if you dont know much about the organization, but im also sure that knowledgeable readers will find some new details. Over the last several decades, the militant lebanese organization hezbollah has morphed from an. Hezbollah s military wing has often been dismissed as merely a militia or terrorist organization.

Hezbollahs strategy and tactics in the security zone from. This is a list of some of the military equipment used by the paramilitary wing of hezbollah. The outcome of the war that was, at best, a stalemate for israel has confounded military analysts throughout the world. Sep 12, 20 the book sheds new light on the targeting of western and israeli interests in lebanon and abroad where hezbollah also runs extensive criminal enterprises, and the consolidation of its power. But despite its limitations it has proved to be a disciplined and effective fighting force. Blanford has spent decades covering hezbollah and he fills the book with personal experiences in southern lebanon. What makes marcuss book stand out is his analysis of both israels and hezbollahs strategic and tactical developments, and how the two entities fed off of and. Hezbollah s employment suicide bombing during the 1980s. Most recently, the group has targeted the syrian sunni opposition forces and the islamic state in the syrian civil war.

Hezbollah is trained with american and israeli military manuals that emphasize tactics of attrition, mobility, intelligence gathering and nighttime maneuvering. Hezbollah portrays itself as a force that resists the actions of israel and the worlds superpowers. Hezbollahs combat concept dated january 2006 is a highly restricted page booklet, crammed with data on bunkers and katyusha rockets and other military installations. Understanding hezbollahs military engagement in syria. Part two digs deeper into operational adaptation the changing tactical choices of hezbollah and the idf. Strategy, targets, and methods of operations party of god. A monograph by major leroy bryant butler united states marine corps school of advanced military studies united states army command and general staff college fort leavenworth, kansas. The book leaves little doubt as to the increasing importance, danger, and international reach of hezbollah. This begins the second period of hezbollahs methods of operation, which begins during the 1990s. Sep 05, 2019 israels military worldview is based on the concept of core deterrence. The global footprint of lebanons party of god revised. Micallef is a bestselling military history and world affairs author, and keynote speaker.

List of books and articles about hezbollah online research. Some might not like the book, because most of the focus is on hezbollah and he does not portray israel in the best light. Hezbollahs combat tactics have been increasingly refined over recent years, and the group is now on the cutting edge of terrorist and jihadi warfare. Lebanonbased terrorist organization, an ally of the assad regime, uses special forces squads for covert operations deep in enemy territory.

Hence, drawing the conclusion that beating israel and government defeatism, as lieberman puts it, are liable to encourage other organizations, including hezbollah. Jan 17, 2019 for iran, hezbollah was already a success story by this point. Hezbollahs military leadership has rethought much of the strategic and tactical doctrine that led to the repeated defeat of arab regular forces by. Secondly, this particular book and his previous work tactics of the crescent moon. Its author is a lieutenant colonel in military intelligence mi, personal aide to mi director and formerly head of the lebanon section in the intelligence department of northern command. Israel and hezbollah have adopted informal rules of engagement as both sides prepare for possible war while trying to avoid setting it off. Similarly, the debate captured in part ii between idf modernisers and traditionalists will be relevant to military historians interested in. Hezbollah tactics and weaponry for the 2006 conflict took everyone by surprise as they exhibited an improved weapon stockpile and strategies with the tacit help of iran and syria. Its websites reflect the groups diverse agenda and aim to be multigenerational in their approach, offering information about social services as well as a video game to engage youth. Hezbollahs military tactics in the 1990s demonstrated the islamic. More than just an iranianfunded terrorist organization, hezbollah is a comprehensive provider of social services to lebanons disenfranchised shiite masses, and a highly respected political player, known to forswear corruption. Hezbollah hones new tactics in syrian civil war the times. Apr 29, 2012 hezbollah was created by iran in 1982 and is backed financed by iran, it also receives training and equipment by iran. Jun 02, 2019 hezbollah still maintains a military wing to defend civilians from israel as was evidenced by israels invasion of lebanon in 2006 and due to the israeli occupation of lebanons chebaa farms.

Changes include a repositioning and fortification of bases, increased use of unmanned aircraft and. Fairly objective, he interviewed both hizbollah fighters as well as israeli military personnel with a smattering use of secondary sources. The tactics it has adopted would pose a growing challenge to any military, even one as experienced in asymmetric operations as the idf. Jul 26, 2015 hezbollah was one of the first groups to use suicide bombings in the middle east.

The partys fighting strength has grown substantially since the 2006 lebanon war. Hezbollah fighters at the border between lebanon and. United nations resolution 1559 calls for hezbollah to be disarmed and the lebanese army to be deployed to southern lebanon, which has not been implemented. So far, israeli defence forces idf casualties have. Hezbollah develops new tactics in syrian civil war. The story from within by naim qassem2 norton writes with great clarity on the roots of hezbollah and t. Overviews of hezbollah will widely differ depending on the author.

The book began as the authors doctoral thesis in war. The hezbollah military command structure is often discussed by political activists, but it is rarely understood. Hezbollah has targeted israeli and western military personnel and citizens, particularly in the middle east. Hezbollah s transition from what israeli general amiram levin refers to in the book as a terrorist organisation to a guerrilla group is delineated in full. Chapters four and five trace the activities and tactics of hezbollah as the key force in the resistance against the israeli occupation and the organizations postw ar evolution into a political.

The book concludes with a look at hezbollahs integral, ongoing role in irans shadow war with israel and the west, including plots targeting civilians around the. Inside hezbollahs thirtyyear struggle against israel blanford. For six years, the idf conducted a counterinsurgency campaign. In long fight with israel, hezbollah tactics evolved the. A disciplined hezbollah surprises israel with its training. Hezbollahs strategy and tactics in the security zone from 1985 to. Written by a journalist based on his twenty odd years of english language journalistic experience in lebanon, the book provides insights into hizbollah, its philosophy, strategy and tactics. Hezbollah s combat tactics have been increasingly refined over recent years, and the group is now on the cutting edge of terrorist and jihadi warfare. They also expanded their efforts to train a reorganized proassad paramilitary force. This article needs additional citations for verification. An analysis of hezbollahs use of irregular warfare by stephen keith mulhern, b.

The book is based on unique fieldwork in israel and lebanon, extensive research into hebrew and arabic primary sources, and dozens of interviews marcus conducted with israeli defense officials, highranking military officers of the israel defense forces idf, united nations personnel, a hezbollah official, and western diplomats. Hezbollah was officially formed in 1985 as a political party with a paramilitary force to counter israeli invasion of lebanon. Hezbollah changes battle tactics to fight syrian rebels. Long considered the most professional and powerful army in the middle east, with a history of impressive military. When the outposts were reinforced, hezbollah responded with indirect mortar and. May 11, 2009 hezbollah, on hassan nasrallahs hasty orders, squandered thousands of rockets either by firing them into israel or having them destroyed by the israeli air force. The things about hezbollah that worry us, as americans, are. By the 1990s the group was responsible for most of the attacks on israeli troops, attacks that exhibited careful planning and professionalism.

When the idf and sla employed fixed outposts, hezbollah responded by frontal assaults. Hezbollah is an important book for scholars, policymakers, students, and the general public interested in international security, terrorism, international criminal organizations, and middle east studies. Hezbollahs missiles and rockets center for strategic. Hezbollah views its rocket and missile arsenal as its primary deterrent against israeli military action, while also useful for quick retaliatory strikes and longer military. Hezbollahs transition from what israeli general amiram levin refers to in the book as a terrorist organisation to a guerrilla group is delineated in full. A hybrid force, the group maintains robust conventional and unconventional military capabilities.

Based on more than a decade and a half of reporting in lebanon and conversations with hezbollah s determined fighters, blanford reveals their ideology, motivations, and training, as well as new information on military tactics, weapons, and sophisticated electronic warfare and communications systems. According to lina khatib within the article hezbollahs political strategy, hezbollah has followed a sophisticated and adaptive political strategy that blends military, social, economic and religious elements khatib, p. Download the brief the issue hezbollah is the worlds most heavily armed nonstate actor, with a large and diverse stockpile of unguided artillery rockets, as well as ballistic, antiair, antitank, and antiship missiles. Hezbollah hones new tactics in syrian civil war the. Although hezbollah was considered only as an armed militia, the display of their technical prowess and fighting capabilities took israel by surprise with the. The global footprint of lebanons party of god, matthew levitt, through adept storytelling and impressive attention to historical detail, manages to teach even longtime students of the middle east a great deal about hezbollah.

This is their trademark method of operation, however recently they have branched away from solely using suicide tactics as their main method of attack. Its membership phenomenally grew after their direct confrontation with israeli defence forces in lebanon, 2006. Although hezbollah and hamas are not organizationally linked, hezbollah provides military training as well as financial and moral support to hamas and has acted in some ways as a mentor or role model for the group. A history of the party of god dominique avon and anaistrissa khatchadourian, trans. This article examines hezbollahs strategy and the evolution of their tactical performance. A short history by augustus richard norton1 for greater depth and insight into hezbollah s leadership. Military innovation and adaptation under fire by raphael d marcus was also released relatively recently, and similarly to rodmans book is an excellent study. Learning from hezbollah middle east strategy at harvard. The book sheds new light on the targeting of western and israeli interests in lebanon and abroad where hezbollah also runs extensive criminal enterprises, and the consolidation of its power. Try searching on jstor for other items related to this book. Military innovation and adaptation under fire marcus, raphael d. Amir kulicks analysis of hezbollah s military posture before and after the 2006 lebanon war is a good example of an israeli seeking to understand an organization that is, for israel, both a declared and actual adversary. The groups ideology, motivations, and training, as well as new information on military tactics, weapons, and sophisticated. By alternating tactics, he went on, hezbollah was able to maintain the initiative and, after a clash, melt away into a largely sympathetic populace.

Hezbollah is an irregular force, influenced by irregular warfare theory. Jun 09, 2014 israels top military officer warned today that hezbollah s capabilities have grown substantially since the 2006 war, putting much of israel within the reach of the lebanese shiite militant. Israels military worldview is based on the concept of core deterrence. Never before seen on western televisions,a series of hezbollah s tactics and. The book is chronologically disjointed as a result of jabers lack of focus. When the outposts were reinforced, hezbollah responded with indirect mortar and rocket fire. History has proven jaber wrong on at least one point.

Hezbollah targets key us military spots, have kidnapped and killed us officers, and many other westerners over their existence. Hezbollah antiamour tactics and weapons defence forum. Jan 01, 2011 written by a journalist based on his twenty odd years of english language journalistic experience in lebanon, the book provides insights into hizbollah, its philosophy, strategy and tactics. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. They cant take the israelis in open battle, he said, so they want to draw them in to. In the past, hezbollah targeted embassies, and even conducted military campaigns involving shelling of towns in northern israel, kidnapping westerners in. Military operations of the 2006 lebanon war wikipedia. After subsequent yet successful arab springs, hezbollahs political popularity took a sudden dive. Since hezbollahs formation, the organization has been responsible for numerous terrorist attacks that have killed hundreds, including u. While hezbollah is an irregular force, it has demonstrated the successful use and blending of both irregular and conventional warfare, in what is known as hybrid warfare. Norton 2014 is one of the most comprehensive and objective books that one must begin with, as it debunks the dominant narrative about hezbollah being a terrorist organization that should be eradicated, and reveals how it is embedded in the social, political, and economic fabric and supported by large numbers. Hezbollahs military strength is somewhat based on the quantity and quality of the rockets they possess, which they use against their primary enemy, israel. Goksel says, has clear tactics, trying to draw israeli ground troops farther into lebanon. It also serves as the post library for the fort leavenworth community.

Israeli military history and strategy book digest daniel j. Hezbollah uses its fighting force to wage an irregular warfare campaign against israel. Hamas may be flattered by hezbollah comparisons, but the. Hezbollahs modern military tactics are amazing the world. Inside hezbollah s thirtyyear struggle against israel by. Israels past misadventures in lebanon, ironically, helped create hezbollah and have also helped proliferate the groups appeal and legitimacy. Israels long war with hezbollah georgetown university press. Hezbollah also employed more conventional military tactics and weaponry, notably katyusha rockets and other missiles. Hezbollah changes battle tactics to fight syrian rebels the.

Hezbollahs tactics and capabilities in southern lebanon. The strategy deployed is not onedimensional in that hezbollah is not just a radical militant group. Mar 10, 2018 since the early 1980s, hezbollah has been an aggressive politicomilitary actor influencing regional politics in the middle east, particularly lebanon. Iranian made hezbollahs tactics 2006 war with israel 1 of 3. Hezbollah has also fought against government forces in yemen. Reviews levitt creatively deploys his deep knowledge coupled with the scrupulous collection, analysis, and exploitation of information and intelligence in support of his arguments against hezbollah. Like hezbollah, it has become a governing force committed to a political and diplomatic strategy dictated by the public it controls, alongside its military tactics. The combined arms research library carl is a comprehensive military research center supporting the army command and general staff college. This at least, may have been worth the effort by israel.

Those interested in hezbollah s military tactics and its procurement of weapons from iran will find useful material in the book. When the book was published in 1997, she asserted contrary to all the evidence that hezbollah knows that its military resistance would be terminated once israel withdraws from south lebanon p. Department of state designated hezbollah a foreign terrorist organization, pursuant to section 219 of the immigration and nationality act, and it remains. How hezbollah came to dominate information warfare rand. It is based on the strong fundamentals of shia islam of jehad to counter zionist aggression and resist against the imper. The reality is that hezbollah is so secretive that jaber doesnt have enough material for a full book at least, not without providing more detail on hazbollahs attacks, which she wont do. Hezbollah s information warfare portfolio includes newspapers, social media outlets, television programming, and a major internet presence. Militant muslim combat tactics should be mandatory reading for every soldier, sailor, airman, or marine deploying to iraq or afghanistan. This is an insiders account of the antisemitic organization hezbollah. Ike skelton combined arms research library us army. Hezbollah hones new tactics in syrian civil war commando strikes, hitandruns and recon missions prevail as lebanese shiite group helps assad hold on by bassem mroue 12 april 2014, 6. While the group is believed to operate all over the continent, germany is a center of activity, with 950 members.

Hezbollah, which has fired 3,000 missiles on targets inside israel in the past 28 days, is still in control of a minimum 9,000 missiles. The groups strategy against israel uses rockets as offensive weaponry combined with light infantry and antiarmor units to defend their firing positions in. First off, all john pooles books should be read by the secretary of defense on down to the grunt in the field and more military outfits should go through his course. Arenss approach has resurfaced in 2019, in light of the fact that hezbollah is integral to the lebanese state and politics. Similarly, the debate captured in part ii between idf modernisers and traditionalists will be relevant to military historians interested in how a modern army incorporates. Hezbollah is generally considered the most powerful nonstate actor in the world, and to be stronger than the lebanese army.