IDF: Iran-backed militia moves from Syria to south Lebanon to support Hezbollah

An Iran-sponsored militia originally deployed in Syria has been transferred to south Lebanon to support Hezbollah, says the IDF Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee.

“After a series of failures suffered by Hezbollah against Israel in recent weeks, the Iranian Imam Hussein Brigade, led by a commander known as Zulfiqar, has arrived in southern Lebanon,” Adraee announced in his account on X, formerly Twitter.

“The militia has engaged in confrontation with the IDF in recent weeks along the Lebanese border,” he continues.

“Hezbollah and the Imam Hussein Brigade will cause Lebanon to pay a heavy price for the benefit of Hamas-ISIS. The IDF is fully prepared to respond to anyone who tries to undermine its sovereignty in the north,” he adds.

#عاجل ???? بعد سلسلة الإخفاقات التي مني بها حزب الله في تحقيق إنجاز ضد إسرائيل في الأسابيع الأخيرة، وصلت الى جنوب لبنان ميليشيا "لواء الإمام الحسين" الإيرانية بقيادة المدعو ذي الفقار، والتي أسست في الأصل في سوريا لتقديم المساعدة للمحور الايراني في السنوات الأخيرة وذلك لتقديم… pic.twitter.com/lQmYTbYSQF

— افيخاي ادرعي (@AvichayAdraee) November 2, 2023

The Alma Research Center, which follows security developments along Israel’s northern border, says that the Imam Hussein Brigade is a militia composed primarily of Iraqi Shiites that was integrated into the Fourth Division of the regular Syrian army and operates mainly in the Damascus area.

It has reportedly conducted direct offensive operations against Israel and American soldiers in Syria. The whole Fourth Division, commanded by Maher Assad, brother of Syrian President Bashar Assad, has evolved into an Iranian proxy and reports directly to the Quds Force, the expeditionary arm of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards, the Center says.