How Israel’s Spies Penetrated Hezbollah - with Ronen Bergman
Jan 2, 2025
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Ronen Bergman, a renowned staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and an expert on military intelligence, dives deep into Israel's covert operations against Hezbollah. He reveals how Israeli forces infiltrated Hezbollah’s networks, leading to the strategic assassination of leader Hassan Nasrallah. The discussion includes a look at the political implications of military decisions, strategies derived from past conflicts, and the evolving dynamics of Israeli intelligence methods against Hezbollah's military capabilities. An engaging exploration of high-stakes espionage!
Israeli intelligence's extensive infiltration and strategic operations against Hezbollah significantly weakened the group's military capabilities and leadership structure.
Yoav Gallant's advocacy for aggressive action against Hezbollah illustrates a crucial shift in Israeli military strategy following the October 7 conflict.
Deep dives
Israeli Intelligence Operations Against Hezbollah
Israeli intelligence conducted extensive operations to infiltrate and dismantle Hezbollah's leadership and military capabilities over the years. This effort involved strategic patience and meticulous planning, ultimately culminating in the operation that led to the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah. Israeli agencies executed various tactics, including the use of advanced surveillance, covert sabotage, and precision strikes to neutralize key figures within Hezbollah. This strategic campaign was pivotal in significantly weakening Hezbollah by targeting their operational command and eliminating thousands of missiles, thereby impacting Iran's broader regional strategy.
Former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant's Role
Yoav Gallant, Israel's former Defense Minister, played a crucial role in shaping aggressive strategies against Hezbollah following the conflict that erupted on October 7. He advocated for a preemptive strike against Hezbollah when the focus was primarily on Hamas, asserting that Hezbollah posed a more significant threat. Gallant's insistence on taking decisive action against Hezbollah demonstrated a marked shift toward prioritizing northern threats in Israel's military strategy. His subsequent resignation from the Knesset highlighted the ongoing internal political dynamics regarding credit and responsibility for the military tactics employed against Hezbollah.
The Aftermath of the 2006 War
The failure of Israel to achieve its objectives in the 2006 war against Hezbollah marked a turning point for Israeli military intelligence, leading to a renewed focus on understanding and combatting Hezbollah's strengths. Following the war, Israeli intelligence undertook a dramatic restructuring, with approximately 70% of its resources dedicated to monitoring Hezbollah. This shift allowed for the accumulation of detailed intelligence on Hezbollah's capabilities, including its weapon supply chains and fortifications throughout Lebanon. The lessons learned from the war fostered a more collaborative approach between Mossad and military intelligence, enhancing Israel's operational effectiveness in the following conflicts.
Technological Advances in Intelligence Operations
Israel's development of a sophisticated network of human and signal intelligence enabled it to execute targeted operations against Hezbollah with high precision. The use of advanced technologies, like geolocators on weaponry and the interception of Hezbollah's communication devices, provided Israel with an unprecedented advantage. This capability was demonstrated through devices designed to ensure minimal collateral damage while effectively eliminating high-value targets. The meticulous planning and innovative technology showcased Israel's commitment to leveraging intelligence for surgical strikes, which were integral to undermining Hezbollah's operations and instilling fear in its ranks.
The string of Israeli successes against Hezbollah — culminating in the killing of Hassan Nasrallah — last September was partly the work of Israeli military and intelligence agencies infiltrating Hezbollah’s networks, planting booby-trapped communication devices, and tracking the leaders’ movements to dismantle the group's military capabilities. This campaign crippled Hezbollah by also destroying thousands of missiles and disrupting its leadership, delivering a blow to Iran’s regional strategy.
An investigative report recently published by the New York Times delves into how deeply Israeli intelligence had penetrated Hezbollah ranks. Our guest today is one of the report’s authors: Ronen Bergman.
Ronen Bergman is a staff writer for The New York Times Magazine and Senior Correspondent for Military and Intelligence Affairs for Yedioth Ahronoth, an Israeli daily. Ronen has won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on the Israel-Hamas war and the pre-war intelligence failures.