Two main methods can be identified through which Hezbollah’s messages and narratives are conveyed. The first is Nasrallah’s speeches. The second is through social media and traditional-official media.
Nasrallah’s speeches are generally divided into two types. The first type includes traditional speeches and interviews, usually during Muslim (Shiite) holidays or to commemorate major events in Lebanon and the region. The second type is in response to significant events in the area.
It appears that since October 2023, when the current war broke out, the two types of speeches have merged.
Nasrallah’s speeches, in general, and his wartime speeches in particular, can be characterized by three main features:
- Targeting different audiences
- Central motifs
- The ‘Palestine ideology:’
Mapping out target audiences
Nasrallah’s speeches can be divided according to the intended target audience: The supportive Shiite base in Lebanon (a central goal in Hezbollah’s cognitive warfare is to preserve and maintain the base), Hezbollah’s opponents in Lebanon, the Israeli audience, Arab countries, Western countries, and more.
For example, in Nasrallah’s speech on August 6 (marking a week since the targeted killing of senior Hezbollah military – terrorist commander Fuad Shukr), his messages to the Lebanese public that opposes Hezbollah stood out, as did his address to the Arab countries:
“There are those in Lebanon who need to understand the magnitude of the dangers in what is happening in the region, and they express their concern over what will happen if the resistance wins the battle, and I tell them that you should fear the enemy’s victory… Those who do not support us in Lebanon, we ask them not to stab the resistance in the back and not to participate in psychological warfare against us.”
“If the resistance in Gaza is defeated, Israel will not protect Islamic or Christian holy sites, and Palestine, Jordan, its ruling regime, or Syria will remain up to Egypt… It is the duty of all the nations of the region to set a goal to prevent ‘Israel’ from winning this battle and eliminating the resistance and the Palestinian issue. What is required is confrontation without hesitation and without surrender… in the face of the Israeli threat.”
It is not by chance that Nasrallah chose to mention specifically Jordan and Egypt, which have peace agreements with Israel.
Central motifs
Nasrallah’s speeches consist of several central motifs, and he sometimes uses all of them and sometimes only parts.
These motifs reoccur frequently and create the basis of Hezbollah’s messaging and narrative:
- Glorification of the ‘resistance army:’ Hezbollah positions itself as the protector of Lebanon. Hezbollah presents itself as the organization that will stop Israel and prevent it from achieving its aims.
- Demoralization of IDF Soldiers: Addressing the simple soldier, mocking and ridiculing the operational capabilities of IDF soldiers.
- Disparagement of the IDF: Trivializing its strength and abilities of the Israeli military and highlighting its shortcomings.
- Issuing of threats: Emphasizing the threat to Israel and Hezbollah’s operational and geographical control over Israeli citizens, especially in the northern communities.
- Glorification of ‘resistance heroes and martyrs:’ Highlighting the ‘celebrities’ of Hezbollah.
- Connection to Religion: The connection between Hezbollah’s politics to the Shiite in Lebanon is deep and evident.
In the speech on August 6, Nasrallah glorified the ‘celebrity’ in whose honor the speech was delivered – Fuad Shukr.
Nasrallah detailed and praised Shukr’s qualities, capabilities, and military contributions to Hezbollah.
Nasrallah also employed the motifs of glorifying the resistance army, ridiculing the IDF, and emphasizing the threat to Israel. Nasrallah did not miss the opportunity to use the attack involving Shahed 101 UAVs powered by electric engines infiltrating the Nahariya area in northern Israel on the afternoon of August 6 (a few hours before the speech) to amplify these narratives.
‘Palestine Ideology’
The need to maintain the ‘Palestine Ideology,’ as defined by the Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Khamenei, is evident.
This so-called ideology aims to bridge the ideological gap between the Shiite axis and the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood – represented by Hamas. The ‘Palestine Ideology’ creates a common interest in the eyes of the Iranian Supreme Leader, forming a basis for cooperation.
Publicly, Shiite Hezbollah and Sunni Hamas demonstrate a unity of interests primarily against Israel, despite their ideological differences. The common interest allows the radical Shiite axis led by Iran to cooperate with the Sunni Muslim Brotherhood represented by Hamas. Instead of a differing religious ideology, a common ideological framework is created – the ‘Palestine ideology.’
Nasrallah’s many statements serve the narrative of the ‘Palestine Ideology.’ The August 6 speech was also filled with statements serving this narrative: the danger Israel poses requires the continued “resistance in Gaza and the West Bank from a standpoint of shared blood, jihad in the future, and righteous people with more patience and resilience… The support fronts in Lebanon, Iraq, and Yemen will continue to support Gaza despite the sacrifices…”
Hezbollah’s cognitive and psychological warfare campaigns are consistent and show a single ideological basis, as well as prior planning. Nasrallah’s speeches are a central component of this war.
However, it must be remembered that Hezbollah’s great strength is derived from the strong belief of its Shiite base in it, and its path. Hezbollah relies on the Shiite base in Lebanon – Shiite residents of southern Lebanon, the Beqaa, and Beirut. Most of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure is deployed within Shiite population centers, serving as a human shield.
Hezbollah’s capability rely on the Shiite Lebanese population’s support. Maintaining the supportive base is a strategic goal of utmost importance, far more than any tactical achievement on the ground. We do not claim that the entire cognitive and psychological warfare campaign is directed inward alone, but we do hold that this is its first and central goal.
2 Responses
No worries.
Due to the genetic codes of the Persians and the Shia format of the proxies, Iran and Hizbullah will never be able to start a real war against Israel even at the cost of Iran Islamic Republic.
There may be some fake clashes as it has always been.
Irrational Israeli and American policies in Middle East, based on some myths, will lead the loyal ally (Iran) and his proxies to collapse and cause Turkiye and the Turan Union to control the region and dominate the world for the next 100 years because of the agreement they signed with the global capital.
Insightful article. Although we can profit by understanding a person’s thought processes and recognize the value thereof in terms of psychological warfare, it is important to be clear on where these thought processes are rooted. The word ‘ideology’ was used numerous times, rightly so, and it behooves us to remind ourselves what ideology is and what its nature is. This link leads to a succinct article on the subject. For those pressed for time, perhaps the first paragraph is enough to set the compass.
https://www.thepublicdiscourse.com/2024/05/95010/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=what-is-ideology