Hezbollah Radwan Force terrorists captured last week by the IDF's Givati Brigade revealed that their organization is facing a sharp decline in morale, and operatives feel that "Hezbollah is sending us to die...to avenge Ali Khamenei."
In an interrogation session with the IDF's Unit 504, one of the operatives explained that "morale is on the floor. No one has the strength to go out and fight."
Both operatives noted that they were worn out after a year and a half of war, referring to Hezbollah's involvement in the 2023-2025 Israel-Hamas war. They also both said that the official purpose they were given for Hezbollah's involvement in the current war was to avenge the death of Iran's former supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a targeted strike at the outset of the war.
Operatives do not want to join Hezbollah's war effort
"Anyone who leaves their home does so against their will," one of the Radwan terrorists said. "You can't tell them you don't want to come."
Asked to expand on why people did not want to join the fight, the terrorist explained:
"If I were at home and they called me to war, I wouldn't come. Why? First, I just got out of a war. Not even a year and a half has passed. Second, my whole body - there's nothing healthy in it. Third, why should I prevent my children and my family from being with me?"
Another terrorist was asked about the treatment he got from his commanders, and told the IDF interrogators that "it's like sending an animal [to war]. He doesn't care about it. He doesn't tell it, for example, how it will eat, how it will sleep - any kind of communication. Who am I supposed to speak to? What am I supposed to do if I am injured? It's [like] a dog sending a dog into battle."
"Why does he send you, then?" asked the interrogator.
"To die," the operative responded. "And you don't have the ability to refuse or say no...What matters to [the commander] is that I operate, and that it's recorded so he can be promoted in rank."
IDF captures Hezbollah terrorists during Lebanon raids, destroys Radwan Force infrastructure
The IDF's Givati Brigade captured several Hezbollah terrorists from southern Lebanon and took them in for questioning on Monday evening.
The capture occured during an operation to locate weapons in the area; IDF troops discovered several armed Hezbollah Radwan Force operatives active at an anti-tank missile launch point.
Once identified, the Hezbollah fighters surrendered, evidently due to the "expanded IDF activity focused on eliminating terrorist infrastructure in the area," according to the IDF report, which added that troops confiscated "a large amount of weapons and gear" from their persons.
The operatives were immediately interrogated by Israeli security officials upon their arrival in Israeli territory, according to the IDF report.
IDF extends current round of fighting for reservists and regular army combat soldiers
Reservists who are being called up to relieve those recruited at the start of Operation Roaring Lion or earlier will have their service extended by an additional 9 weeks, the IDF announced on Friday.