What’s happening:

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed group designated as a terrorist organization by Israel and other countries, has issued warnings to its members instructing them to avoid disclosing their locations during phone conversations. This comes in the wake of recent airstrikes in Lebanon, which Israel is believed to have undertaken against senior figures within the organization.

Why it matters:

The move signifies heightened concerns over targeted killings by Israel. Hezbollah officials are now taking precautionary actions to safeguard their operatives, reflecting an underlying tension and the ongoing clandestine warfare between Israel and the group. These measures also suggest the effectiveness of Israel’s intelligence operations in Lebanon and perhaps the level of risk felt by Hezbollah.

Details of Hezbollah’s Alert to Operatives:

Hezbollah has advised its members not to share any information related to their whereabouts in response to phone inquiries that may seem to originate from Lebanese authority figures. Israel is accused of masquerading as various Lebanese and internal security agents to extract such sensitive information.

Directives from Hezbollah:

In their internal communiqué, Hezbollah urges its soldiers, especially frontline operatives, to terminate calls asking about personnel locations and movements immediately. Members are directed to report such inquiries to their superiors.

Broader Context:

Surveillance and precautionary activities extend beyond Lebanon. Reports have surfaced from the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that Hezbollah is deploying electronic jamming tools in Syria to disrupt potential drone-based surveillance or strikes, particularly in regions dominated by Iranian-backed militias. Syria continues to be a strategic operational theater for both Israel and Hezbollah, evidenced by the perceived need for such countermeasures.

The Impact of Recent Tensions:

Recent engagements between U.S. forces and local militias have prompted heightened alert levels across entities and locations associated with Hezbollah. There is an anticipation of further Israeli or American actions based on changing regional dynamics and previous strikes. The electronic disruptions indicate a more comprehensive approach to threat mitigation by Hezbollah across the Middle East region.

This story was first published on ynetnews.com.