" Hezbollah" is tight-lipped about the assassination operations targeting its members and leaders, and is focused on intensive internal investigations to identify and address elements of failure, in order to avoid further such operations that have intensified recently. After Tel Aviv successfully assassinated the son of the party's representative, Muhammad Raad, along with four other members of the "Radwan" unit last November, Israel dealt a double blow to "Hamas" and the party by assassinating Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in the heart of the southern suburbs of Beirut, Hezbollah's stronghold, on January 2 of this year, by launching missiles at an apartment where he was meeting with field commanders of the "Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades."
Just a few days later, specifically on the eighth of this month, Tel Aviv managed to assassinate the commander of "Radwan," Wisam al-Tawil, as he was returning home to one of the villages in the south. The Israeli newspaper "Maariv" reported that the assassination was carried out through "a precise operation by placing an explosive device near his house," while the party did not confirm or deny this information.
Sources close to "Hezbollah" refuse to discuss the intense assassination operations against party leaders, insisting that the only commander who was assassinated is al-Tawil, noting in a statement to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that "in contrast to those who are martyred in Lebanon among the party members who are proudly announced and properly buried, there are large numbers of Israeli soldiers and officers who are killed, but Tel Aviv conceals the announcement of their numbers, and they are buried away from the limelight."
The sources do not deny that "they are scrutinizing the breaches that allow Israel to assassinate certain individuals in the party, in order to avoid further operations," considering that linking the issue solely to collaborators is a significant oversimplification, since advanced technology is being used, as well as American-Israeli and British-Israeli intelligence cooperation assisting the enemy in identifying and assassinating their targets.
Military and strategic expert, retired Brigadier General Elias Hanna, discusses "a range of factors that enable Israel to pinpoint the locations of Hezbollah members and leaders for assassination, most notably their movements in a very limited area in the south of the country, where military operations are conducted. After fighting openly in Syria, they have become significantly recognizable," indicating in a statement to "Asharq Al-Awsat" that "advanced technology, periodic surveillance, and eavesdropping operations, along with intelligence cooperation, and certainly a network of ground collaborators, all assist Israel in assassination operations."
Hanna points out that "the key factor that facilitated the assassination of al-Tawil was operational security negligence when he decided to go home," adding: "the revelation that his assassination was carried out via an explosive device suggests the possibility that someone from his environment planted this device, although there is no doubt that a special Israeli unit operates to carry out such operations."
Hanna believes that the "party must undertake a reorganization after these breaches, and conduct extensive investigations with all individuals who were in the vicinity of al-Tawil, along with taking operational precautions and implementing strict measures regarding transportation."
In parallel with the investigations being conducted by the party to uncover collaborators within its ranks and environment, the relevant Lebanese security agencies are carrying out similar work, especially as they have succeeded in recent years in achieving many accomplishments in arresting groups dealing with Israel. An security source tells "Asharq Al-Awsat": "There is work happening away from the spotlight; it is undeniable that a significant breach has occurred, whether through collaborators or the technology used. When those concerned see the time is right, any arrests made in this area will be announced."
