The psychological warfare of Israel and Hezbollah during the final decade of the IDF’s stay in Lebanon (1990–2000): lessons and insights

The study offers a detailed examination of the psychological warfare waged by Israel and Hezbollah between 1990 and 2000. Due to the classified nature of much of the material, such comprehensive reviews are rare in Israel. The Israel Defense Forces’ prolonged presence in southern Lebanon, beyond the country’s borders, marked an exceptional chapter in Israeli military history. This research focuses on Israel’s distinctive psychological warfare tactics in the final decade of that period and Hezbollah’s calculated fusion of violence and psychological manipulation aimed at forcing Israeli withdrawal. The analysis draws on firsthand experience, extensive interviews with former officers, and the limited academic literature available. It explores the central doctrines underlying Israel’s influence operations, particularly the concept of low-intensity conflict and the techniques used to shape Lebanese public opinion. The findings reveal that Israel’s insufficient preparation and inability to effectively leverage psychological strategies contrasted sharply with Hezbollah’s well-organized and socially attuned campaign. Hezbollah’s precise understanding of Israeli society and its coherent strategy ultimately yielded a decisive psychological victory, despite its inferior economic and military capacity. The study underscores how strategic coherence and psychological insight can outweigh superior military strength in asymmetric warfare.