Without hiding: The "civil organizations" that allow Hezbollah to return to southern Lebanon
The "Islamic Health Organization" and the "Wataawunu" association, which ostensibly care for the population in the area, are affiliated with the terrorist organization and serve as a cover for its activities. Hezbollah does not even try to blur the connection, communicating the organizations' activities through its media network.
Hezbollah's tactic: Organizations subordinate to the terrorist group or affiliated with it serve as a cover for its military activity and allow it to maintain a foothold and presence in the pilot areas for the IDF's withdrawal, according to a study published by the Amit Institute for Terrorism and Intelligence Research. According to the study, the two most prominent organizations are: the "Islamic Health Organization," which is subordinate to Hezbollah's Executive Council, and the "Wataawunu" association, which promotes aid and rehabilitation projects for civil infrastructure.
At the Amit Institute, they estimate that "the activity of the organizations in the pilot area contradicts the framework agreement and testifies to the difficulty and complexity for the Lebanese government to act against the presence of Hezbollah and its various civil arms operating in southern Lebanon." The institute adds that there are legal difficulties and a lack of legal authority for the Lebanese army to conduct searches in privately owned civil assets, despite Hezbollah's use of them as cover for military activity.
Hezbollah does not even try to hide the organizations' activity. The "Islamic Health Organization," which operates in the village of Zoutar el-Gharbiya, receives extensive coverage in Hezbollah's media network (on the "Al-Manar" channel, for example). Furthermore, the Lebanese Ministry of Health, headed by a minister on behalf of Hezbollah, Rakan Nasr al-Din, publicly supports and recognizes its activity.
A "soft arm" for military and logistical infrastructure
The head of the "Wataawunu" association, Afif Shouman, is a member of Hezbollah and admitted himself that it operates under the organization's instructions. Outwardly, this association deals with food and housing assistance for residents. However, according to Lebanese and Arab media outlets, it is a "soft arm" that promotes Hezbollah's goals of deepening its hold on the country and provides civil cover for the military and logistical infrastructure of its terrorists. About two months ago, an Israeli strike was also reported against a building of the association in the village of Houla, which was used as an arms depot. At the beginning of June, leaflets dropped by the Air Force in southern Lebanon were documented, calling on residents to avoid any contact with the association identified with Hezbollah.
According to the research institute, this association also operates openly in the village of Zoutar el-Gharbiya, which is defined as a pilot area. In this context, the association conducted a field survey to map damages, placed mobile structures for residents and village heads, and sent supply trucks. This activity is also extensively covered in Hezbollah's media network. Another piece of evidence of Hezbollah's connection to the association is that donations to it are processed through the organization's financial institution (Al-Qard al-Hassan). Likewise, in the association's "Good Faces" campaign in 2025, which pushed for the return of the population to the villages of southern Lebanon, a logo appeared with the face of Hassan Nasrallah, the organization's secretary-general who was eliminated.
Over the weekend, the current Hezbollah secretary-general, Naim Qassem, gave a speech. Among other things, Qassem emphasized that Hezbollah would maintain a presence on the ground. He once again spoke out against the framework agreement with Israel. "The Lebanese authorities chose a path devoid of honor," he claimed. "They did not bring a ceasefire or a withdrawal, but gave up the right to demand anything. The negotiations are being conducted under the war, give legitimacy to the war, and lean in Israel's favor. The USA is a partner of Israel. You could have gone to indirect negotiations and set the conditions." Referring to the words of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun last week, the Hezbollah secretary-general said: "To those who say that negotiations are better than war - did your negotiations stop the war?"
Meanwhile, the Lebanese newspaper "Al-Diyar" reported that Italy offered to assist in the disarmament of Hezbollah as part of a new international force that would be established in place of UNIFIL and would operate in southern Lebanon. According to diplomatic sources, Rome has drafted a document describing the roles of the new international force that is supposed to replace UNIFIL. In this context, the Italians offer to support the Lebanese army logistically and operationally, and to assist it in disarmament tasks. It was also noted that the aspiration is for the Lebanese army to be at the forefront of the activity. However, according to the report, the commander of the Lebanese army, Rudolph Hikal, expressed opposition to the involvement of the international force in disarmament during his last visit to Rome.
