Hezbollah Maintains Control in Southern Lebanon Through Medical and Aid Networks

The Lebanese army is struggling to meet the security requirements of the framework agreement signed with Israel in June, as Hezbollah continues to maintain its hold on southern Lebanon through medical, aid, and rehabilitation organizations. This is according to a study by the Amichai Institute for Terrorism and Intelligence Research. The village of Zotar al-Arabiya, a pilot area where the Lebanese army is supposed to dismantle Hezbollah’s infrastructure and prevent the return of its operatives, remains under Hezbollah influence. Reports indicate that Hezbollah operatives, including members of the "Rabet" unit responsible for military coordination and infrastructure embedding, have been allowed to return to the village. Lebanese army checkpoints reportedly do not verify identities or conduct vehicle searches.

Two Hezbollah-linked organizations operate in the area: the Islamic Health Organization, under Hezbollah’s executive council, runs clinics and ambulances permitted entry into the village, while Red Cross ambulances are denied access. Additionally, the Wata'ano Association provides food, housing, and damage assessments, led by Afif Shoman, who raised funds through Hezbollah’s Al-Qard Al-Hassan institution. The Amichai Institute assesses that these activities aim to maintain the population’s dependence on Hezbollah and strengthen its influence, directly contradicting the framework agreement.

The study highlights legal restrictions on searching private properties, complicating efforts to locate military infrastructure. It concludes that as long as Hezbollah remains the provider of essential services and protector of its operatives on the ground, transferring responsibility to the Lebanese army does not guarantee the loss of Hezbollah’s control. The full report will be published soon by the Amichai Institute for Terrorism and Intelligence Research.