In addition to making some grave strategic miscalculations, Hezbollah committed several significant tactical errors in the current conflict with Israel. These blunders have come at a high price.
Here are three key mistakes that contributed to the organization’s costly setbacks:
Focus on anti-tank missile attacks: At the onset of the conflict, Hezbollah deployed small squads to fire anti-tank missiles at Israeli targets, focusing heavily on this tactic. While anti-tank missiles are potent weapons, they are most effective in defensive scenarios against invading armored forces.
The IDF quickly adapted, sheltering troops and minimizing risk. In parallel, the army improved its methods for locating and neutralizing Hezbollah’s missile squads.
The result? Israel wiped out a large number of Hezbollah’s skilled operatives, while the overall impact of anti-tank missile attacks remained minimal.
Eventually, Hezbollah scaled back these attacks, but not before suffering considerable losses. With Israeli ground forces currently advancing into southern Lebanon, Hezbollah is likely missing those skilled operatives it sacrificed in the early stages of the conflict.
Switching to pagers: In an attempt to secure communications, Hezbollah distributed pagers to thousands of members, including field commanders. This move was meant to reduce the risk of electronic surveillance, but it backfired badly.
What seemed like a wise idea on paper played right into Israel’s hands. By penetrating the supply chain, Israeli agents booby-trapped the pagers, triggering explosions that caused thousands of casualties among Hezbollah’s ranks. This was a catastrophic blow. [Read more: 7 things you need to know about the pager attack on Hezbollah]
As it turns out, the switch to pagers was likely unhelpful in any case. According to foreign reports, Israel had already achieved deep intelligence penetration of Hezbollah through various means, including advanced cyber tools and well-placed agents.
No backup to Beirut command center: Hezbollah concentrated its key command operations in Beirut, particularly in the Dahiya district, the group’s primary stronghold. Hezbollah seemed confident that Israel would not strike in this densely populated urban area, assuming that leaders were safe behind layers of security and human shields.
However, that assumption proved to be a fatal error. Israel launched targeted strikes on top Hezbollah commanders and later expanded the air campaign, catching the group’s leadership off guard. The organization had no backup command center outside of Beirut, leaving its leaders exposed.
As a result, Israel has been able to eliminate much of Hezbollah’s leadership with pinpoint precision, killing most of its senior figures and commanders, including longtime leader Hassan Nasrallah.
