How Iran Revived Hezbollah for War Readiness
Iran’s Role in Rebuilding Hezbollah’s Military Structure
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) have been actively involved in rebuilding Hezbollah’s military command after it suffered significant losses during the 2024 conflict with Israel. This effort has included filling critical gaps with Iranian officers, restructuring the Lebanese group, and planning for the war that Hezbollah is currently engaged in on behalf of Tehran.
This overhaul marks the first major restructuring of Hezbollah since its founding by the IRGC in 1982. The initiative reflects a hands-on approach from Iran following the devastating impact of the 2024 war, which resulted in the deaths of key leaders such as Hassan Nasrallah and other top commanders.
Iran’s investment has enabled Hezbollah to recover quickly, allowing it to participate in the ongoing Middle East conflict on Tehran’s side after facing attacks from both the United States and Israel.
Strategic Reorganization and Operational Changes
The IRGC’s involvement in Hezbollah’s recovery began shortly after a ceasefire in November 2024. During this time, Israeli attacks continued, prompting the deployment of around 100 IRGC officers to Lebanon. These officers were tasked with retraining Hezbollah fighters and overseeing rearmament efforts.
One of the key changes implemented was the replacement of a hierarchical command structure with a decentralized one. This new model consists of small units with limited knowledge of each other’s operations, enhancing operational secrecy. Additionally, IRGC officers planned for missile attacks against Israel that would be launched simultaneously from Iran and Lebanon—a scenario that occurred for the first time on March 11.
A senior Lebanese security source noted that Iranian commanders helped Hezbollah rehabilitate and reorganize its military cadres. The source believed that the Iranians were assisting Hezbollah in pacing the current conflict rather than directly involved in selecting targets.
Decentralized Command and Military Strategy
Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at King’s College London, highlighted that the IRGC has essentially reorganized Hezbollah into a more flat system. This contrasts with the political hierarchy that had developed around Nasrallah before his death. Krieg described the new decentralized model as resembling what Hezbollah looked like in the 1980s—characterized by very small cells.
He referred to this approach as a “mosaic defense” strategy, which is also being utilized by the IRGC within Iran. This shift in structure aims to make Hezbollah more resilient and adaptable in the face of potential threats.
Lebanon’s Efforts to Disarm Hezbollah
While the IRGC was working to rebuild Hezbollah, Lebanon’s government and its U.S.-backed military were attempting to advance a process aimed at disarming the group. This effort faced significant challenges, as the IRGC’s presence in the country complicated these objectives.
Lebanon estimates that approximately 100 to 150 Iranian nationals in the country have ties to the Iranian government beyond normal diplomatic functions, including connections to the IRGC. A Lebanese official stated that the government requested these individuals to leave Lebanon in early March.
According to the two sources familiar with IRGC activities, Guards officers were among more than 150 Iranians who left Beirut on a flight to Russia on March 7. The IRGC has been heavily involved in Hezbollah’s operations since its establishment in the eastern Bekaa Valley, where it aimed to export Iran’s 1979 Islamic Revolution and combat Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon in 1982.
Qassem Soleimani, the top IRGC general killed in 2020 by a U.S. drone strike, had worked alongside Nasrallah during Hezbollah’s 2006 war with Israel. When Israeli airstrikes killed Nasrallah in a bunker in Beirut’s southern suburbs, an Iranian general was among those who died alongside him.
