Ghosts Of Beirut: 40-Year Shadow War, Spy Ops Between Israel And Lebanon

 

Ghosts Of Beirut: 40-Year Shadow War, Spy Ops Between Israel And Lebanon

This shadow war traces its origins to a long history of covert warfare, spanning over 40 years, between Israeli intelligence agencies and Hezbollah

Israeli airstrikes on Monday killed at 492, including 35 children, in Lebanon, marking the deadliest attack on the country in nearly two decades. This occurred a few days following a series of explosions involving thousands of pagers still in use in the country. The incidents resulted in the death of at least 32 individuals and caused numerous injuries. Lebanon alleged that Israel was responsible for the explosions. Tensions between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah have escalated significantly in the past year following Hamas' attack on October 7. Hezbollah has denied involvement in the attack on Southern Israel, but it persists in backing the militant group in Gaza. Israeli airstrikes in Gaza have resulted in the deaths of over 40,000 Palestinians and displacement of nearly the entire population. 

The shadow war between Israeli intelligence agencies and Hezbollah has been ongoing for more than 40 years. During the early 1980s, Israel conducted a military intervention in Lebanon with the objective of removing the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO). Israel achieved an initial victory by compelling the PLO to withdraw from Beirut. However, a calamitous event in November 1982 signaled the start of Israel's persistent battle against Hezbollah. In one of the initial significant setbacks, a large explosion devastated the base of Shin Bet, Israel's internal intelligence agency, in Tyre, resulting in the deaths of 91 individuals. The incident was identified as one of the initial suicide car bombings, carried out by militant Shia Islamists who later established Hezbollah.

Hezbollah

Established in 1983 with support from Iran, Hezbollah swiftly emerged as a significant adversary for Israel. The organization, skilled in guerrilla tactics and clandestine activities, persisted in its campaign to disrupt Israeli assets in Lebanon and beyond. During the 1980s and 1990s, Hezbollah carried out multiple attacks, such as the bombings of the US and French military bases in Beirut. Hezbollah successfully financed its activities through an extensive support network, particularly in South America, becoming a significant aspect of the clandestine conflict. The organization's participation in lawful and unlawful operations, including drug distribution and illicit money transactions, led to the accumulation of substantial assets, creating challenges for Israeli authorities to thwart.

A notable instance of Hezbollah's international influence occurred in the early 1990s. After the killing of Hezbollah leader Abbas al-Musawi by Israeli troops, the extremist group responded by bombing the Israeli embassy and a Jewish community center in Buenos Aires, Argentina, resulting in the deaths of more than 100 individuals. 

Spy Operations

However, the vigilance of Israel's intelligence agency Mossad persisted. In a string of high-profile assassinations, Mossad focused on senior Hezbollah and Iranian officials implicated in plotting attacks against Israel. The elusive Hezbollah military leader, Imad Mughniyeh, was specifically targeted by Israeli intelligence. Mughniyeh, known for orchestrating multiple notable attacks such as the 1983 bombings in Lebanon, managed to elude capture for many years. In 2008, Israeli forces and the CIA successfully killed Mughniyeh with a car bomb in Damascus.

Hezbollah responded with multiple attacks targeting Israeli embassies and civilians, such as the 2012 suicide bus bombing in Bulgaria that claimed five Israeli lives.

In July 2024, Israel conducted successful operations to eliminate two senior Hezbollah figures, Fuad Shukr and Ibrahim Aqil. They participated in attacks against Israeli forces in Lebanon during the 1980s. The ongoing conflict has extended beyond traditional or guerrilla strategies. One of the most notorious cyber assaults occurred through the deployment of the Stuxnet computer virus, which was developed as a collaborative effort between Israeli and American intelligence agencies. This virus specifically aimed at disrupting Iran's nuclear facilities in the year 2010. The cyberattack at Iran's Natanz facility resulted in the destruction of centrifuges, representing a significant milestone as the first known instance of a cyber operation causing physical damage. More recently, Hezbollah and Israel have participated in a novel form of advanced technological warfare. In September 2024, Hezbollah admitted that a string of attacks, utilizing detonating pagers and walkie-talkies, had caused significant harm to the organization. The operations exhibited the characteristics associated with Mossad, although Israel has not issued an official claim of responsibility.

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