The Israeli Mossad and Hezbollah intelligence service’s war 1/3

Women, money, revenge and leadership position are the espionage motivations

Written by – Elijah J. Magnier:

The “war of brains” or the “war of intelligence” between the Israeli Mossad and the ‘Anti-Terrorism and Espionage’ branch of the Lebanese Hezbollah has never stopped, regardless of the political developments in the Middle East. Whether the possibilities of war are far away or very close, or the number of collaborators and agents increases or decreases, both intelligence services are tireless in their activity against each other. Some of these activities were highly successful, and others were less striking. However, after every successful espionage case, both sides start from scratch to reconstruct the secrecy and tighten countermeasures to reduce the damage.

Israel needs to update its bank of objectives continuously and have access to its enemy’s (Hezbollah)capabilities and military warehouse locations. Israel is trying hard to thwart Hezbollah’s plans to break into Israeli society or its military organisation, hit the high-value military structure, and assassinate its senior leaders. Hezbollah is also engaged in building relationships with Israeli agents, finding a network of Palestinian allies that can harm Israel, or knowing Israeli leaders’ movements and updating military leaders’ information whenever there is any change in structure or objectives. Hezbollah is also diligently looking within the organisation’s network and leaders who have access to sensitive information to create independent “boxes” for its branches and to watch closely any change of behaviour or wealth of its officers.

What are the most prominent espionage hits in this ongoing conflict between the two intelligence services that do not reveal their activities unless to fulfil a political objective?

Spies collect the opponent or enemy’s secret information through numerous channels, mainly through the Internet as a secure communication medium and social communication as a source of information and recruitment channel. However, electronic information or social media have never been a unique ideal espionage tool to collect information as a substitute for the human element that can physically access sensitive information where electronic signals are forbidden. With the latest technology, even closed-circuit communication systems or computers disconnected from the internet can be accessed. Intelligence services found a way to plant viruses in closed systems physically. Still, physical human intervention is always needed to recover the collected data and change the implanted memory unless destructive viruses are hidden to obliterate the system. Foreign intelligence services have used the latter on many occasions, particularly against Iran’s nuclear reactors and other infrastructures, to create significant damage or to delay a secret program. In Hezbollah’s case, special precautions have been adopted to prevent the access of electronic devices or mobile phones to sensitive units. Nevertheless, these precautions are not always respected, offering the enemy a golden opportunity to localise specific units and gatherings. Turkey used the interception of Hezbollah militants’ mobile phones in the Idlib battle, killing dozens of Hezbollah members resting outside the battle zone. The same 

Proofread by: Mauri8ce Brasher