What Methods Has Hezbollah Lebanon Resort to in Its Information Warfare Against Israel?

Following the deaths of several high-ranking Hezbollah commanders in Israeli airstrikes, the group has turned to primitive and old communication methods to keep its members away from Israeli advanced surveillance technologies. These methods include the use of agreed-upon codes, fixed-line telephones, and radio receivers. Since the outbreak of the Gaza war, which began a day after the surprise attack by the extremist group Hamas on Israeli territory on October 6, Hezbollah has effectively joined the military campaign against Israel in support of Hamas. Both groups are designated as terrorist organizations by the U.S. and the European Union. The exchange of fire between Israeli forces and Hezbollah has so far been controlled and has not escalated into a full-scale war. However, the recent intensification, following the deaths of several high-ranking Hezbollah commanders, has increased the risk of war expansion. Hezbollah claims that its rocket and drone launches towards Israel aim to reduce Israeli pressure on Palestinians in Gaza, a region currently facing Israeli military operations aimed at the pre-announced goal of 'destroying Hamas.' Many Hezbollah members have been killed in battle and during rocket and missile operations against Israel. At least 20 members of the group, including three senior field commanders, several elite members of the 'Rizwan Unit,' and several intelligence unit members, have been killed far from the battle lines in Israeli 'precise' strikes deep within Lebanon. According to a statement released by the Israeli army, 'the success of these efforts relies on the Israeli army's capabilities to gather accurate intelligence reports about Hezbollah's forces, its commanders, its terrorist infrastructure, and the locations of its operational forces.' In retaliatory attacks, over 480 people have been killed in Lebanon, more than 330 of whom were Hezbollah forces. Israel also claims that Hezbollah's attacks have resulted in the deaths of 21 soldiers and 10 Israeli civilians. Reuters, citing six sources familiar with Hezbollah's operations who wished to remain anonymous, reported that the group 'has learned from its casualties and has changed its tactics.' According to two sources, 'the use of mobile phones, which can track the user's location, has been banned in operational fields, and older communication devices have been replaced, such as pagers and messengers who convey messages orally.' Three sources also told Reuters, 'Hezbollah uses a landline network that dates back to the early 2000s.' Another informed source stated, 'For caution, agreed-upon codes are used when naming weapons and meeting locations.' According to this source, 'these codes are updated almost daily and are delivered to units through messengers.' Security experts believe that sometimes using old methods can be effective against modern technology-based espionage capabilities. This was one of the methods that kept Osama bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaeda, off the radar of international and regional security agencies for about a decade. He had completely cut off contact with the internet and phones and used messengers. Emily Harding, a former analyst at the CIA, states, 'Simply using a VPN or better yet, not using a mobile phone, can increase the difficulties in locating a target.' She adds, 'Of course, such methods can reduce the speed of Hezbollah leaders' actions and their immediate effects.' Hezbollah and Lebanese security officials also believe that Israel has recruited informants from within Lebanon to gather information and monitor its targets. Three Reuters sources noted that 'the economic crisis in Lebanon and competition among political groups have provided an opportunity for Israel to recruit informants.' On October 31, a person claiming to be a local official called a woman on her mobile phone and asked in Arabic with a local accent, 'Is your family home?' The woman replied, 'No, they have traveled to eastern Lebanon.' Two informed sources stated that minutes after that phone call, the woman's house in the village of Bayt Yahoun in southern Lebanon was targeted in a missile attack, which resulted in the deaths of five Hezbollah members, including Abbas Raad, a member of the Rizwan Unit and the son of Mohammad Raad, a prominent Hezbollah representative in the Lebanese parliament. These sources say Hezbollah believes that Israeli informants tracked its members to the mentioned house and, to ensure that civilians were not killed in that attack, contacted the woman homeowner. After that attack, Hezbollah, through 'Radio Nour,' one of its media outlets, urged its supporters not to trust individuals who claim to be local officials or employees of service companies during phone calls, as 'Israelis use this method to identify houses used by Hezbollah.' The Bayt Yahoun attack marked the beginning of a series of attacks targeting high-ranking Hezbollah members, including Wissam al-Tawil, Taleb Abdullah, Mohammad Nasser, and other field commanders who played a pivotal role in the group's operations. Two informed sources and a Lebanese intelligence official told Reuters that Hezbollah believes Israel has tracked some of its forces through intercepting their mobile phones, following them through this method, and hacking surveillance cameras installed on buildings in border areas. On December 27, Hezbollah issued a statement urging residents in southern Lebanon to disconnect their surveillance cameras from the internet. About two months later, Hezbollah forces were asked to refrain from using mobile phones in areas near battlefields. A senior Lebanese official who wished to remain anonymous stated, 'If a mobile phone belonging to any of Hezbollah's forces is found in battlefields or near them, they will be expelled from the group.' A Lebanese intelligence official also stated, 'Hezbollah sometimes conducts surprise inspections among its forces present in battlefields.' According to informed sources, high-ranking Hezbollah commanders avoid bringing phones to meetings even if they are held in Beirut.