The Supreme National Defense University President's Interview with the Al Alam Arabic News Network

According to a report from the Center for Communications and International Relations, ،فاث the IRGC Brigadier General Dr. Ismail Ahmadi Moqaddam, president of the Supreme National Defense University, during an interview with the Al-Alam news network on Tuesday, October 2, remarked: “the Israeli regime has endured significant defeats over the past year in its conflict with Palestinian resistance in Gaza. He underscored the essential role of the Lebanese Islamic resistance in diverting key elements of the Israeli army's attention. Consequently, the Israeli regime has made extensive efforts to shift the balance of power and neutralize Hezbollah on the battlefield.”

He went on to say that the response of the resistance axis, particularly Hezbollah Lebanon and the Islamic Resistance, is clear following the defeat that the Israeli regime suffered in 2006 during the July War against Hezbollah. As for the weapons used by Hezbollah in its conflict with the Israeli regime, the SNDU President commented: “On the battlefield, the balance of power has significantly shifted. Over the past 17 to 18 years, Hezbollah has enhanced its capabilities in terms of human resources, weaponry, and technology. Additionally, during these years, it engaged in combat against ISIS terrorists in Syria, where the former suffered hundreds of martyrs, gaining valuable experience. Now, armed with this experience from Syria and its fight against ISIS, Hezbollah is confronting the Israeli regime on Lebanese soil.” Brigadier General Ahmadi Moqaddam added that today Hezbollah, with tens of thousands of fighters, possesses nearly modern equipment, adequate resources, effective organization, and suitable combat capabilities. The utilization of these strengths has been strategically planned for prolonged warfare. Brigadier General Ahmadi Moqaddam also stated that currently, Hezbollah of Lebanon is capable of hitting targets from a distance of 16 kilometers with precision anti-tank missiles that transmit images up to the last moment. He further noted that “this conflict will not be straightforward for the Israeli regime in Gaza, as they have not forgotten how, in 2006, they conducted daily assaults in the same area, only to be thwarted by even basic weapons, resulting in destroyed tanks and their retreat. This time, Hezbollah will be far better prepared than before.”

Referring to the doctrines employed by Hezbollah Lebanon in its struggle against the Israeli regime, the president of the Supreme National Defense University continued to say “In the early days of the war, the fighters in Gaza, following the late Martyr Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, established the equation of “depth for depth” and “civilians for civilians”, marking a depth of about 15 kilometers. Within this area, Israeli intelligence centers, observation posts, and military facilities were targeted, leading some of the population occupying the northern Palestine, particularly in the Galilee region, to abandon their homes and not to return to that region.

Brigadier General Ahmadi Moqaddam referred to the plans of Israeli regime leaders aimed at countering Hezbollah, stating “Netanyahu believed that by eliminating the leaders of the resistance and expanding the battlefield into civilian areas and further into Lebanon, a new equation would be created. He expected Hezbollah to declare neutrality, separate itself from the people of Gaza, and avoid involvement in the conflict. However, under these circumstances, new equations emerged that had never been seen in past wars.” He added that “in 1982, during the pursuit of the Palestine Liberation Organization forces to Beirut, the Israeli regime was unable to impose any new equation and, after 18 years of struggle, was ultimately forced to leave Lebanon due to Hezbollah's pressure without gaining any concessions. Similarly, in the 16-day conflict of April 1996, Hezbollah was able to assert its will using even the simplest of weapons.” He also continued by stating that “in 2006, the Israeli ground forces suffered a severe defeat, even though the objective and claim of the Israeli regime under Olmert was the destruction of Hezbollah.”

The president of the Supreme National Defense University, referring to the statements of the Supreme Leader regarding the positions of the Islamic Republic in support of Hezbollah of Lebanon, stated that “the Supreme Leader has repeatedly asserted that the Islamic Republic has no reservations about offering political, financial, and even military support to resistance groups fighting against the occupation of the Israeli regime and advocating for the legitimate rights of the oppressed Palestinian people. This stance has never been concealed by the Islamic Republic, and naturally, it will extend all forms of financial, media, political, spiritual, and even military support to resistance groups. However, the decision-making regarding the methods of combating and waging war against the Israeli regime rests with the resistance groups themselves, and they will determine their course of action in this regard.” He continued by stating that “the Islamic Republic of Iran indeed has advisors who provide intellectual assistance, conduct field assessments, and monitor regional conditions to evaluate appropriate responses. However, the decision-making authority ultimately lies with the resistance axis, and when necessary, they determine the nature of their response themselves.