The following report is now a complimentary offering from MEMRI's Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM). For JTTM subscription information, click here.
On November 17, 2024, Lebanese Hizbullah confirmed that its Director of Public Relations, Muhammad 'Afif, was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut. An October 22 article by the group’s Al-Ahed News website summarized a speech delivered by 'Afif during a press conference in Southern Beirut.[1]
'Afif strongly condemned the "bias" of Saudi media conglomerate MBC Group and its "partners" in favor of the "criminal killers, [Israeli Prime Minister] Benjamin Netanyahu and the occupation army," remarking: "Even if the Israeli Channel 12 made a report about the martyr Yahya Sinwar it would be fairer." He also commended the Iraqi Media Authority and other Iraqi officials for taking measures to "expose" the "shameful, abhorrent, and unacceptable behavior" of the media group.
The PR director accused media outlets that "incite against the resistance" of "complicity in the killing" and providing the "enemy" with coordinates. He criticized these outlets for allegedly overlooking Hizbullah's "heroic epics" in southern Lebanon, including missile launches at Haifa and Tel Aviv, and for ignoring Hizbullah supporters displaced from the region after their homes were destroyed. 'Afif claimed that the group has "recovered" and regained its field control and many capabilities.
'Afif accused the U.S., "the mother of terror," of being "fully complicit" in the "aggression" on Lebanon due to its support of Israel with weapons and ammunition, holding it "primarily responsible" for "heinous massacres" in the country. He asserted that the group would not engage in negotiations "under fire." He also described Israeli claims of targeting Hizbullah weapons depots and development centers as false, and alleged that Israel's October 20 airstrikes on the group's financial Al-Qard Al-Hassan institution aimed to cause "more killing and destruction."[2]
Hizbullah To Capture Israeli Soldiers To Negotiate Release Of Its Operatives
Calling on the Red Cross to confirm that Israel is safeguarding the lives and health of captured Hizbullah operatives, 'Afif asserted that statements obtained from such captives "under pressure" are "worthless" and should not impact the morale of their families and "mujahideen brothers." He urged Lebanese media to respect the families' privacy, and stated: "We will soon have captives from among the enemy's soldiers, Allah willing. We were close to achieving this goal at some point during recent days. After the war there will be indirect negotiations to recover our captives, as we do not leave our people imprisoned."
The Hizbullah official stated that the group's command and control system was working effectively and that the group has restored its military and logistic support lines, with enough "competent fighters, exceeding the needs of front." He alleged that Hizbullah has increased its "offensive and defensive operations" to an average of 25 per day, explaining that separate attacks on the same location are counted as one operation.
'Afif claimed that Israel responds to Hizbullah attacks on Israeli military targets by killing civilians, vowing that the group would continue to strike the "Zionist north and interior" with heightened "qualitative and quantitative power." He confirmed that Hizbullah was responsible for the October 19 drone attack targeting Netanyahu's house in Caesarea, and pledged that the group would achieve "victory."
On October 23, Hizbullah confirmed that Hashem Safieddine, the presumed successor of Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah, was killed in an Israeli airstrike in southern Beirut three weeks earlier.[3]
[1] Alahednews.com.lb, October 22, 2024.
[2] See MEMRI JTTM report: Media Relations Officer: Lebanese Hizbullah Does Not Use Financial Institution To Fund Weapons; Says Strikes Aimed At Shaking People's 'Confidence' In Party; Hizbullah-Linked Journalist: Israeli Justification Invalid, October 22, 2024.
[3] See MEMRI JTTM report: Lebanese Hizbullah Confirms: Executive Council Chief Hashem Saffieddine 'Departed To His Lord With Best Of Mujahideen In A Zionist Raid', October 23, 2024.
