More than a year after Israel engaged in a full-scale war with the Iran-backed Hezbollah in September 2024 and forced them into a ceasefire two months later, it has emerged that Tehran is currently running the Shiite militant group.
According to sources cited by Saudi new outlet Al Arabiya, Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has taken over the reins of Hezbollah and is training the militants for a war against the US and Israel.
The report claims that some of the IRGC officers arrived in Lebanon recently to help Hezbollah rebuild its military capabilities. Some of these officers are reportedly in close contact with Hezbollah fighters across Lebanon.
This comes as Israel carried out airstrikes in eastern Lebanon, killing eight Hezbollah militants. The sources cited by Al Arabiya claimed that the IRGC officers were meeting Hezbollah missile unit operatives when Israel targeted the site at Beqaa Valeey in Lebanon.
The Israeli army stated that the Hezbollah members killed in the airstrikes were identified "as operating to accelerate readiness and force build-up processes, while planning fire attacks toward Israel."
Three of the local commanders killed in the attack were identified as Ali al-Moussawi, Mohammed al-Moussawi and Hussein Yaghi. Hussein was the son of Mohammed Yaghi, Hezbollah founder and close aide of slain militant chief Hassan Nasrallah.
Amid rising tensions between the US and Iran, Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in January that any attack on the Tehran would also be an attack on the militants.
