Hezbollah front group likely behind attack in northern Israel

[Valin]

FDD's Long War Journal

Joe Truzman & Bill Roggio

January 14, 2024

Smoke billows in the area of the Lebanese village of Kfar Kila during Israeli shelling on on January 14, 2024, amid ongoing cross-border tensions as the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas group in Gaza enters its 100th day. (Photo by Rabih DAHER / AFP) (Photo by RABIH DAHER/AFP via Getty Images)

An unknown organization calling itself the Islamic Azz Brigades claimed responsibility for infiltrating the border fence in northern Israel at Shebaa Farms and attacking Israeli troops on Sunday morning. It is possible that the Islamic Azz Brigades is a front group established by Hezbollah to provide plausible deniability for the attack.

“On the morning of today, January 14, 2024, a group of our mujahideen managed to penetrate the border fence in the occupied Shebaa Farms, where they clashed with a Zionist enemy patrol near the Ruwaisat al-Alam site from zero distance, and resulted in confirmed casualties.”

(Snip)

Unlike other front organizations created by members of the Axis of Resistance, the Islamic Azz Brigades seems to be a somewhat haphazard attempt by Hezbollah to distance itself from the attack. FDD’s Long War Journal could not identify a logo for the organization or an official media channel.

Separately, it is notable that Hamas has yet to claim an attack in response to the killing of Hamas deputy Saleh al-Arouri in Beirut. Hezbollah is the only established organization that has claimed responsibility for responding to Arouri’s killing. It’s plausible that Hezbollah is quietly undertaking the response to Arouri’s death since the Israeli military has severely degraded Hamas’ military capabilities, and its assets in southern Lebanon and Syria can only mount limited attacks against Israeli territory.