IDF names top Iranian in charge of Hizbullah

IDF says Revolutionary Guard overseeing Hizbullah operations on behalf of the Islamic Republic.

By YAAKOV KATZ
nasrallah 298.88 (photo credit: Associated Press)
nasrallah 298.88
(photo credit: Associated Press)
Iran has deployed a top Revolutionary Guard Corps officer in Lebanon to oversee Hizbullah operations on behalf of the Islamic Republic, a senior IDF officer revealed on Wednesday.
The officer’s name is Hossein Mahadavi, and his official title is “commander of Iran’s overseas division,” which in this case is Hizbullah. Mahadavi is believed to maintain an office in Beirut and is a senior member of the Revolutionary Guards’ Al-Quds Force, which is responsible for Iran’s overseas operations.
According to the senior IDF officer, since the Second Lebanon War, Iranhas bolstered its control over Hizbullah. “We identify more Iranianinvolvement in Lebanon today,” the officer said. “It is comprehensiveand significant.”
Mahadavi’s deployment in Lebanon could be connected to the vacuum thatwas left following the assassination, attributed to Israel, ofHizbullah’s top military commander Imad Mughniyeh in Syria in 2008. Inaddition to serving as Hizbullah’s top military commander, Mughniyehwas also the chief liaison between the Lebanese group and theRevolutionary Guards.
According to another IDF officer, Hizbullah would likely not be able toinitiate an attack against Israel today without Iranian permission.Iran is understood to be building up Hizbullah in an effort to deterIsrael from attacking its nuclear installations.
According to the top officer, Israel still views HizbullahSecretary-General Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah as a legitimate target andthat as a result the senior terror chief, four years after the war inLebanon, still spends most of his time in underground bunkers andmaintaining contact with his subordinates by video conference.
Part of Mahadavi’s job is to oversee Hizbullah daily operations and toserve as a liaison between Teheran and Beirut. According to the IDF,all of Hizbullah’s fighters spend a period of time undergoing militarytraining in Iran.