Egypt Daily News – The Wall Street Journal has revealed the major financial and military crisis facing Hezbollah, stating that the group has secretly ordered its fighters to withdraw from southern Lebanon, vacate their positions, and allow the Lebanese army to deploy.
According to the report, Hezbollah’s military capabilities have significantly deteriorated, and its financial resources have become extremely limited, leaving the Lebanese group unable to fulfill its commitments to its supporters.
Some residents report that Hezbollah’s main financial institution, Al-Qard Al-Hassan, has recently frozen compensation check payments that had already been issued. Additionally, some members say they have received no financial support at all.
In November, the World Bank estimated the cost of damage to physical infrastructure at approximately $3.4 billion, with around 100,000 homes partially or completely destroyed. Meanwhile, widows and families of fallen members require assistance, and the wounded need medical treatment and a steady income.
The Wall Street Journal noted that Hezbollah publicly acknowledges the weakening of its financial and military position, though its support appears strong—at least on the surface.
Experts estimate that in past years, the group maintained an annual budget of around $1 billion for benefits, salaries, and other costs, excluding military expenses.
Since the ceasefire in late November, Hezbollah has attempted to reorganize its ranks. The group’s committees have assessed damage to hundreds of thousands of homes, and Hezbollah has issued $630 million in compensation payments for property losses or damages, according to an official from Al-Qard Al-Hassan, a quasi-bank linked to Hezbollah.
However, recent signs indicate Hezbollah’s deepening financial crisis. Fadwa Halal, a resident of the town of Haboush in southern Lebanon, stated that she received a $7,000 compensation check for damages to her home on January 28, but was later informed by Al-Qard Al-Hassan that it was temporarily unable to process the payment.
Hezbollah’s Secret Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon
A source familiar with Hezbollah stated that the group has lost nearly 5,000 fighters in the war with Israel, with more than 1,000 others suffering severe injuries, including limb amputations and permanent blindness.
A secret internal memo was distributed to a large number of combat units, ordering fighters who were not originally from areas south of the Litani River in southern Lebanon to vacate their positions and allow the Lebanese army to take control of the region in accordance with the ceasefire.
Hezbollah has suffered significant losses, with some military units completely disbanded. However, according to the report, the group has partially reorganized some of its ranks and reinstated certain units, making them combat-ready once again. While Hezbollah has been weakened, it has not yet been defeated.
