After the new president and government took office in Lebanon, they faced the important task of appointing a commander and leaders for the nation’s four critical security bodies: the appointment of a commander to the Lebanese army and the appointment of three heads of organizations to the General Security Directorate, Internal Security, and State Security. On March 13, 2025, the appointments of the heads of the organizations were approved (see appendix for details on the new appointments and the main tasks of the three security organizations).
We recently published a special report on the Lebanese army and its new commander – Rudolf Heikal. As part of the report on the Lebanese army, we detailed the Military Intelligence Directorate, which is also known by its historical name “The Second Bureau” (see Appendix T in the report on the Lebanese army).
The Military Intelligence Directorate of the Lebanese Army (MID) is an additional security organization to the three security organizations mentioned above.
In the report on the Lebanese army, we referred, among other things, to the implications of placing Shiite commanders and officers in the various units and the implications of the cooperation of some of them with Hezbollah.
Hassan Shaqir, a Shiite with ties to the Amal movement, Hezbollah’s ally, has been appointed to lead Lebanon’s General Security Organization, the country’s primary non-military security agency.
Several important and disturbing questions emerge from this appointment And this is in addition to the question of why a Shiite was chosen to be the director of the organization:
What will be the extent of the cooperation between the Shiite duo: Hassan Shaqir and Wafiq Safa (head of Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit, responsible, among other things, for Hezbollah’s connection with the security organizations of the Lebanese state)?
What will be the depth of the connection and cooperation between the General Security Directorate and Hezbollah’s security unit?
How will Shaqir’s appointment affect Hezbollah’s freedom of action and movement in Lebanon’s ports, given that the General Security Directorate is responsible for the security of air and seaports (For example, transferring the “money suitcases” to Hezbollah)?
Assuming that Western intelligence organizations are in working relations with the General Security Directorate, what will be the extent of the leakage of information and technology to Hezbollah?
It should be noted that, in all likelihood, and regardless of who heads the organization, we estimate Hezbollah operates additional informants within its ranks (and also in the other security organizations) and can receive relevant information and assistance from them. However, “the commander’s ethos” has special significance and permeates the entire organization and directly affects its functioning.
Appendix – Details on the new appointments and the main tasks of the three security organizations:
General Security:
(General Directorate of General Security – GSGD)
(“Al-Mudiriyah Al-Ammah Lil-Amn Al-Aam”)
The Director General is Hassan Shaqir, a Shiite identified with the Amal movement.
The General Security Directorate operates under the Ministry of the Interior. It was formerly called “The First Bureau”.
The organization is responsible for information gathering and counter-espionage activity in all its forms (security – political – social – economic), media censorship, monitoring-handling-supervision of foreigners, responsibility and supervision of ports (air/sea), and responsibility for passage permits/passports/entry visas/residence permits.
Internal Security:
(Internal Security Forces – ISF)
(“Quwa Al-Amn Al-Dakhili”)
The Director General is Raed Abdullah, a Sunni. The organization, working under the Ministry of the Interior, serves as both the national police and the official security force for Lebanon.
The organization’s structure includes a headquarters, patrol units, the Beirut police, the General Police (Al-Darak), training colleges, technical units, administrative units, and logistics units. Its main tasks are all policing tasks, patrols, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, and embassy security.
State Security:
(State Security Directorate – SSD)
(“Al-Mudiriyah Al-Ammah Li-Amn Al-Dawla”)
The Director General is Edouard Lowndes, a Christian. The organization operates under the Ministry of the Presidency and the Supreme Council for Security. The main tasks of State Security are securing public buildings, institutions, and government sites, and securing dignitaries. Another main task of State Security, similar and parallel to the General Security Directorate and the Army Intelligence Directorate, is uncovering espionage.
