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The current confrontation between Israel and Lebanon goes well beyond airstrikes and military incursions. An intense psychological war is being waged in parallel, aiming to break the resilience of the Lebanese population and weaken local support for Hezbollah. This strategy, which relies on varied tactics ranging from targeted warnings to disinformation operations, shapes the dynamics of the conflict and poses major challenges to Lebanese society.
Psychological warfare: objectives and methods
Israel uses several levers to exert psychological pressure on the Lebanese population. Evacuation warnings, broadcast by air or via electronic messages, are a prominent example. These messages aim to sow panic in targeted residential areas, such as those in the southern suburbs of Beirut or localities in southern Lebanon. These tactics, although officially intended to limit civilian casualties, have the effect of profoundly disrupting the daily lives of residents and amplifying their feeling of insecurity.
On the other hand, disinformation plays a key role in this psychological warfare. Israel regularly releases reports exaggerating the losses inflicted on Hezbollah, including claiming to have destroyed a large part of its ballistic capabilities. These declarations, relayed by certain international media, aim to demoralize supporters of the Shiite movement and to create a climate of doubt within Lebanese society. However, rapid and detailed denials from Hezbollah often limit the impact of these disinformation operations.
The impact on the civilian population
The effects of this psychological warfare are profound and multifaceted. Families living in targeted areas often find themselves forced to leave their homes, causing a mass exodus to safer regions. According to testimonies reported by Al-Arabi Al-Jadidmany residents describe a feeling of constant fear, exacerbated by regular Israeli drone flights and incessant warnings of imminent attacks.
This psychological warfare also affects the collective morale of the Lebanese, already weakened by a prolonged economic crisis and political instability. The feeling of abandonment by local authorities, unable to provide protection or respond effectively to these tactics, reinforces despair among some communities. In this context, traditional solidarity between the different regions of Lebanon becomes a crucial issue for preserving national cohesion in the face of adversity.
Hezbollah’s response: communication and resilience
Hezbollah, the main actor targeted by these operations, relies on a well-established communications strategy to counter the effect of Israeli tactics. The movement regularly releases videos showing its fighters in action, claiming to maintain an intact military capacity despite Israeli strikes. This content aims to reassure its base and demonstrate its resilience in the face of the Israeli offensive.
At the same time, Hezbollah is trying to mobilize its support through speeches emphasizing the existential dimension of the fight against Israel. These messages, widely relayed by media close to the movement, underline the importance of armed resistance as a guarantee of Lebanese sovereignty. However, this strategy does not always succeed in allaying residents’ fears, particularly in areas most exposed to attacks.
A strategic tool in an asymmetric conflict
Psychological warfare is not new in the Israeli-Lebanese conflicts, but its importance seems to be growing in a context where direct military confrontations remain limited. Israel exploits this asymmetry to maximize the effects of its actions without engaging in prolonged combat on the ground, thereby reducing its own losses. For Lebanon, this type of conflict poses a major challenge, because it targets both physical infrastructure and the collective morale of the population.
Perspectives et interrogations
In this context, several questions remain open: how can Lebanon strengthen the resilience of its population in the face of these tactics? Will Hezbollah manage to maintain its popular support despite psychological pressure? Finally, will the international community play a role in limiting these operations, or will they continue to shape modern asymmetric conflicts?
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