Not just rockets and fighters — now clinics, banks and TV studios.
Strikes on Health Centers, Media Outlets and Financial Arms Signal Broader Effort to Weaken Group’s Political Base
An Israeli airstrike on a health center in southern Lebanon killed 12 medical workers and left others missing under the rubble, marking one of the deadliest single attacks in Lebanon since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on March 2.
The March 13 strike in the village of Burj Qalaouiyah targeted a facility run by the Islamic Health Society, the medical arm of Hezbollah. The organization says it has lost at least 24 members in recent weeks. Lebanon’s Health Ministry denies Israeli allegations that the facilities are used for military purposes.
The strike underscores a widening Israeli strategy: targeting not only Hezbollah’s military infrastructure but also its civilian institutions — health services, financial networks and media outlets — that underpin its political strength in Lebanon.
Hezbollah operates as both an armed group and a political party. Over decades, its social service networks have helped entrench support among Lebanon’s Shiite population.
In recent weeks, Israeli airstrikes have destroyed branches of Hezbollah’s financial arm, al-Qard al-Hasan, heavily damaged Al-Manar television and Al-Nour radio facilities, and hit affiliated commercial operations including gas stations and subsidized retail shops.
On Wednesday, an Israeli strike in central Beirut killed Mohammed Sherri, head of political programming at Al-Manar TV, along with his wife.
Israeli officials argue that Hezbollah uses civilian institutions to shield military operations and finance its armed wing. Human rights groups dispute that framing. Amnesty International has said that labeling an institution as Hezbollah-affiliated does not automatically render it a lawful military target under international humanitarian law and has called for investigations.
The conflict has intensified internal Lebanese tensions. The Lebanese government has publicly declared Hezbollah’s independent military actions illegal and detained members for carrying weapons without authorization. Critics such as legislator Samy Gemayel accuse Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon into a broader regional war.
Yet Hezbollah’s leadership remains defiant. “This is an existential battle,” said leader Naim Kassem, vowing continued resistance. Senior Iranian officials have linked any ceasefire in Lebanon to a broader halt in U.S.-Israeli strikes across the region.
Israel’s stated objective appears to extend beyond degrading Hezbollah’s arsenal. Analysts say it is seeking to erode the group’s political legitimacy and social support base — a far more ambitious goal than previous wars that ended in stalemate.
Whether this strategy weakens Hezbollah’s grip or hardens its constituency may determine how long the conflict continues — and how deeply it reshapes Lebanon’s fragile political landscape.
