Iran's IRGC Rebuilds Hezbollah Command to Wage Tehran-Backed War

Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) undertook an unprecedented rebuilding of Hezbollah's military command structure after the group suffered severe losses from Israeli attacks in 2024.

“BEIRUT, March 21 - Iran's Revolutionary Guards (IRGC) rebuilt Hezbollah's military command after it was mauled by Israel in 2024, plugging gaps with Iranian officers before restructuring the Lebanese group and laying plans for the war it is now waging in support of Tehran, two people familiar with these IRGC activities said”

The Straits Times

Two sources familiar with IRGC activities revealed that the Guards plugged gaps in Hezbollah's leadership with Iranian officers.

The Straits Times

The IRGC implemented a comprehensive restructuring of the entire party and laid plans for the current regional conflict.

This marked the first major restructuring in Hezbollah's history since its founding by the IRGC in 1982.

The rebuilding demonstrated a hands-on Iranian approach after devastating blows including the killing of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and other top commanders.

The IRGC's investment proved successful, getting Hezbollah operational in time to join the Middle East war on Tehran's side following attacks by the United States and Israel.

The IRGC implemented significant structural changes to Hezbollah's command, replacing its traditional hierarchical organization with a decentralized 'mosaic defense' system.

Two sources familiar with IRGC activities stated that the changes included replacing a hierarchical command structure with small units with limited knowledge of each other's operations.

The Straits Times

This transformation was designed to enhance operational security and prevent intelligence breaches that had previously led to leadership losses.

Andreas Krieg, a security studies lecturer at King's College London who has researched Hezbollah for 15 years, confirmed that the IRGC 'has basically reorganized Hezbollah as a far more flat system.'

Krieg noted this resembles Hezbollah's original 1980s structure of very small cells, describing it as a 'mosaic defense' that is also used by the IRGC in Iran.

Approximately 100 IRGC officers arrived shortly after the November 2024 ceasefire and immediately began their work despite ongoing Israeli strikes.

Lebanon's government has sought to limit Iranian influence despite the IRGC's extensive rebuilding efforts.

“Reuters reported earlier in March that Hezbollah had seen another war as inevitable and spent months readying itself”

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This creates a complex diplomatic and security situation as the U.S.-backed Lebanese authorities pursue disarmament of Hezbollah.

A Lebanese official told Reuters that Lebanon estimates around 100 to 150 Iranian nationals in the country have ties to the Iranian government beyond normal diplomatic functions, including links to the IRGC.

The government asked those people to leave Lebanon in early March, demonstrating the tension between Lebanese state sovereignty and Iranian regional influence.

Sources confirmed that Guards officers were among more than 150 Iranians who left Beirut on a flight to Russia on March 7.

IRGC members were among the roughly 500 people killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon in the 15 months between the 2024 ceasefire and the new war.

Around a dozen more IRGC members have been killed in Israeli attacks since the war erupted, including in a strike on a Beirut hotel on March 8.

The IRGC's deep involvement with Hezbollah spans nearly the entire history of the Lebanese organization.

This reflects Iran's strategic vision for regional influence through proxy forces since the 1979 Islamic Revolution.

The Straits Times

The IRGC established Hezbollah in the eastern Bekaa Valley in 1982 specifically to export Iran's revolutionary ideology and fight Israeli forces.

The relationship has endured for decades despite numerous challenges and military setbacks.

Historical connections include Qassem Soleimani, the top IRGC general killed in 2020 by a U.S. drone strike, having worked alongside Nasrallah during Hezbollah's 2006 war with Israel.

The partnership has evolved from ideological alignment to sophisticated military cooperation.

The IRGC now provides tactical expertise, training, and strategic planning essential for Hezbollah's survival and resurgence.

The IRGC-Hezbollah coordination has manifested in sophisticated joint military operations.

The rebuilt Lebanese organization has fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since entering the regional war on March 2.

The Straits Times

This has prompted a massive Israeli offensive that has killed more than 1,000 people in Lebanon.

Two sources familiar with IRGC activities revealed that the Guards drew up plans for simultaneous missile attacks from Iran and Lebanon.

This coordinated attack scenario was executed for the first time on March 11.

A senior Lebanese security source stated that Iranian commanders helped Hezbollah rehabilitate and reorganize their military cadres.

An Israeli military spokesperson confirmed on March 12 that Hezbollah remains a relevant and dangerous force despite Israeli damage.

Hezbollah fighters are now battling Israeli soldiers who have seized ground in southern Lebanon.