Ea kitchen south of Beirut. Nothing more can be revealed. Because the gaunt man, let’s call him Abu Hussein, who enters the low entrance is actually forbidden from speaking to the press. He places his pistol in a small bowl next to the door and glides nimbly into his chair. Abu Hussein is the commander of Hezbollah. A man in his mid-fifties with a thick, gray beard. Veteran of a special forces unit who fought not only in the wars with Israel, but also in the foreign operations of Hezbollah and the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, who founded and directs it.
The tightly organized cadre organization watches suspiciously about who its people talk to. The Hezbollah leadership need not fear that Abu Hussein lacks ideological strength. Or that he even spills operational secrets. The discreet encounter allows at least a brief insight into an isolated world – whose inhabitants believe they are on the verge of a major war with the archenemy.
“I’m jealous of Hamas,” says Abu Hussein, as images of relentless Israeli airstrikes on the Gaza Strip play on the television in an endless loop. He wants to expand this war to Lebanon and hopes that it will happen quickly. “We have our finger on the trigger,” says Abu Hussein. “Wait and see, something big is going to happen tonight or tomorrow.”
Hezbollah has become stronger
It’s been like this for days: threats, warnings, guesswork. For anyone who fears this war, this game is grueling. In the border area in southern Lebanon, villages are already deserted. Some have already brought their families to safety from the southern suburbs of Beirut, which are controlled by Hezbollah. Some have left the country entirely.
Abu Hussein is not afraid. And the belligerence also seems real. But when he speaks of victory and the destruction of Israel as a war goal, it is probably due to the fact that he is speaking to a foreign audience. Abu Hussein also fought in the most recent 2006 war with Israel. At that time, it was already a victory that Hezbollah was able to survive the 34-day, destructive campaign.
Since then, the organization has become significantly stronger with Iranian support. According to estimates, the missile arsenal contains 140,000 missiles, some of which can be precisely guided. Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah repeatedly threatens that they will descend on Israeli cities. They are intended to spread terror and distract the enemy. The next war, that is the constant message of Hezbollah propaganda, will be fought on Israeli soil.
“We have some surprises in store,” says Abu Hussein, predicting that the Israeli Air Force will face a real threat this time. He doesn’t reveal exactly what it looks like. He and his brothers in arms have been preparing for such a confrontation for years. And Hezbollah has been fighting skirmishes with the Israeli army at the border for days. Is she heading towards the endgame that ordinary people in her empire are talking about?
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