There is certainty that it is unlikely that an event related to military and field affairs, and the related political context as a cause or result leading to it, would take place in a vacuum and without clear and specific calculations. It is also logically arbitrary to accumulate a number of military strikes on a geopolitical scale and on the borders of geographical hotspots and hotspots. Tension without anticipation of a direct or indirect result on the foreseeable horizon, especially when it is linked within a single framework, related to specific countries and organizations, and against goals that are related by extension to their interests.

Since the start of Operation “Al-Aqsa Flood” on the seventh of last October, the geography of southern Lebanon has witnessed daily attacks on Israeli sites and settlements adjacent to the Lebanese border, and several organizations claimed responsibility for those strikes. Among the perpetrators were the “Fajr Forces” militia, the armed wing of the Islamic Group (branch). The Muslim Brotherhood in Lebanon), as well as the statement of the “Islamic Ezz” Brigades, the unknown organization that claimed responsibility for the attacks of January 14th.

“Hezbollah” manipulates the Sunnis

The recent movements of the “Fajr” forces point to the field coordination between them and “Hezbollah,” according to statements made by the head of the political bureau of the Islamic Group in Lebanon, Ali Abu Yassin, which indicates that “Hezbollah” allowed and facilitated the “Fajr” forces. Field work in southern Lebanon, where it effectively controls the lines of contact with the Israeli army.

It should not be imagined that any movements will take place in this exceptional space without Hezbollah’s approval, according to its tactical visions and plans at the current stage, whether through anticipating the extent of the conflict on the Lebanese border, and also through the level of arm-twisting battle between Washington and Tehran.

The last days seemed to carry messages from Tehran once, and once again through its agents in Lebanon and Yemen, with a precise and calculated raising of the degree of tension on the scene of events through what Iran did by directing missile strikes inside Syria and the Kurdistan region of Iraq, and then through Hezbollah’s bombing of Israel more than once. And the Houthi militia attacks targeting commercial and oil ships near Bab al-Mandab and deep in the Red Sea.

Iraqi factions targeted bases housing American forces in Iraq and Syria against the backdrop of the war in Gaza. However, at the strategic level, Iran is keen to ensure that this does not cause complete fluidity on the scene of events, which would lead to clashes in direct confrontations.

In addition, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard announced, during the night hours between Monday and Tuesday, that it had targeted, with ballistic missiles, what it considered, according to its claims, to be “spying headquarters and gatherings of anti-Iranian terrorist groups in the region,” confirming the destruction of “a Mossad headquarters in the Kurdistan region and gatherings of the organization.” “ISIS” in Syria.

The Revolutionary Guards confirmed that these strikes came in response to direct and indirect attacks that Iran has been subjected to recently, especially assassinations attributed to Israel that targeted prominent names in what is known as the “Axis of Resistance” led by Tehran, and bloody attacks in southern Iran. Including two suicide bombings claimed by ISIS.

The dawn of Sunday, the fourteenth of January, witnessed a military operation on the Lebanese border. A group of fighters whose identity was unknown sought to advance towards an Israeli position in the Shebaa Farms. The Israeli army said that it confronted the group and killed its three members, while five Israeli soldiers were injured in varying conditions.

Delusional legitimization or expansion of the conflict?

Likewise, an unknown faction that introduced itself as the “Islamic Ezz Brigades” indicated that its fighters carried out that attack on the Ruwaisat al-Alam site in Shebaa Farms, killing three members, while two returned safely to their positions. It said in a statement that the operation came in response to targeting a monitoring group. In the same area on Friday, Israeli bombing resulted in the death of three members of the force.

The statement stated at a notable point that the faction lost its fighters after they spent thirty-five hours at the Israeli point on a reconnaissance mission.

A careful reading of that faction indicates that we are, perhaps, heading towards a new organization that appears to be presenting itself for the first time in Lebanon and on the scene of field operations that are already raging and deep in a regional hotspot. Likewise, the “Islamic Ezz Brigades” is moving towards two specific goals that have no third, according to the statement: Lebanon and supporting Specifically, the “Hamas” movement, or rather its military wing, the “Al-Qassam” Brigades.

All of this clashes completely with Iran’s strategic orientations and suspicious interests, in the course of the extended conflict with the United States of America and Israel.

On another related aspect, the launch of this operation must be understood from the geography of southern Lebanon, which is completely controlled by “Hezbollah.” These movements cannot be imagined except through direct or implicit approval from “Hezbollah” unless they are linked to the “party’s” vision of its crisis situation at home. Lebanese, and the extent of confusion he faces from the Lebanese citizen, considering the “party” directly responsible for the chaos and security chaos across the common border with Israel.

In addition to the threat of the country being dragged into new bleeding, which pushes the Iranian-backed party to twice turn a blind eye to any movements taking place in its areas, as well as planning and implementing any operation. This mobilizes other partners with him in these field operations, and distances him from direct responsibility, in addition to achieving Tehran’s goal of making Lebanon a platform that carries Tehran’s hot messages.

In this context, the Lebanese MP, Ashraf Rifi, said, “Hezbollah continues to create many organizations. Rather, it seeks to expand the circle of organizations, especially the Sunni ones, to legitimize its field activity and the existing alignments that work in its favor. It seeks all the time to build armed military blocs to confirm the presence of Sunni incubators with him.”

Dangerous strategy

The succession of armed elements, according to Rifi’s interview with Al-Hal Net, which carry out its field activity within a propaganda framework through Hezbollah to carry out field missions under fictitious names, especially when this is consistent with the political situation and security determinants, comes to achieve the goal of evading responsibility and direct confrontation.

Rifi added in the context of his statements to Al-Hal Net: There are many scenarios that should be considered and scrutinized when clashing with the “Al-Ezz” organization as an organization with a specific sectarian identity, and based on our security experience, Iran has its goals and vision for managing the conflict on different fronts, and in light of similar facts in its areas of influence. Regional actors, as well as active agents, always resort to working through such organizations to hold them responsible for security work, far from the cost of that direct responsibility, as well as the political burden resulting from it.

The Lebanese MP, who previously held the Ministry of Interior and Justice in previous governments, also saw that “the party supported by Tehran does not hesitate to use other organizations, various in their sectarian references, to expand its legitimacy and hide behind the organizational body that superficially does not belong to the state political Shiites, but implicitly serves the interests of the Shiites.” The political class that is based on sectarian quotas.”

Rifi concluded his statements by saying: “Hezbollah alone has complete control over the southern border, and it is certainly not plausible on the ground and militarily that there are parties operating outside its administration and will.”

While no party has yet announced the identity and personality of that organization, its nationality or its true affiliation, Lebanese security sources indicated that this faction is still mysterious, and there is not the slightest clear and specific information about it until the moment.

Trying to create an imaginary ally

Retired Brigadier General, Saeed Al-Qazah, from the Lebanese Army, said that information about the “Islamic Ezz Brigades” is still vague and unavailable, but he added, in the context of his statements made specifically to “Al-Hal Net,” that in this tense reality on the ground that is getting hotter.” I do not see any real effects of this limited operation, and it will not have any impact on the course of the war in Lebanon, since the main actor in matters and the one who determines the course of matters and the extent of development of its field and political level is Hezbollah and Israel.”

Saeed Al-Qazh, retired Brigadier General, points out that it must be certain that any military movement in the south of the Litani on the Lebanese-Israeli border, if not under the guidance of Hezbollah, is certainly with its full knowledge, and regardless of what it sees, it proceeds within the context of its tactical objectives and policy determinants. Tehran’s foreign affairs, whether in the context of the conflict with the West and the United States of America, or imposing and extending hegemony around the Middle East.

In turn, the Lebanese academic Dr. Ali Khalifa, founder of the “Liberation” movement for Lebanon, said that the “Islamic Al-Ezz Brigades” cannot be an independent armed faction in the field that is completely subject to Hezbollah’s influence on the southern Lebanese border.

Lebanese academic Ali Khalifa continued, in his statements to Al-Hal Net, that it is known that Hezbollah is taking away the role of the Lebanese state in defense and security, while refraining from implementing international legitimacy resolutions, especially Resolutions 1559 and 1701, which puts the country’s supreme national interest at risk. Permanent, aggression against him at any moment. But more than all of that is that “Hezbollah” is limiting the field and alone and no one else is confiscating the military decision in its areas of influence and without dispute, and all other Sunni military organizations and factions that have been announced or have just emerged must work under the wing of “Hezbollah” or in coordination with it, or the party will turn a blind eye. He sided with it for specific purposes and accounts of his own, or received direct instructions to do so from Iran.

Cover for hidden targets

Khalifa’s signal revolves around the fact that Hezbollah is currently feeling great pressure as a result of the Lebanese not rallying around it, this time in its decision to open the southern front.

Consequently, he adjusts the rhythm of his intervention to the impact of Iranian instructions, which he cannot ignore, and at the same time he seeks to save face after his morals have weakened and his slogans on which he built his false illusions have fallen, starting with the claim of “deterring aggression” and ending with the claim of the ability to remove Israel from existence and liberate all of Palestine. This impasse pushes Hezbollah to extend the state of security chaos prevailing on the southern Lebanese border.

Therefore, my assessment, and speaking to the Lebanese academic, is that “the Islamic Ezz Brigades are part of this state of chaos.” The intended security chaos accompanied by the disruption of the Lebanese political system through the abstention of Hezbollah representatives from electing a new president of the republic.”

Ali Khalifa concludes by saying that Hezbollah is playing “dangerous cards” by sustaining military confrontations in the south, directly or through armed organizations, the latest of which is the “Islamic Ezz Brigades.”

These confrontations may turn at any moment into an uncalculated and unequal war that is of no benefit to the Palestinians in Gaza, and brings nothing but damage, harm and destruction to Lebanon and the Lebanese, through which Iran achieves its interests on the map of sharing influence and the conflict of axes in the region.

Through this, the scenarios may seem open about the sectarian background of the “Islamic Ezz Brigades” and its being within the component of political Islam in its Sunni or Shiite version, given “Hezbollah’s” tendency to expand its alliances inside Lebanon, especially with political Islam organizations, which is consistent with the understanding of Tehran’s statements. By granting its agents the necessary flexibility to act within its surroundings in a way that is compatible with the local and international situation and the political context.