Hizbullah Launches "Holy Defense" Computer Game Simulating Its Battles in Syria and Lebanon

Al-Manar TV reported on a new 3D computer game launched by Hizbullah called "Holy Defense," aimed at "simulating the heroic acts of the mujahideen of the Islamic resistance against the takfiri movement in Lebanon and Syria. Jawwad, a boy whose father was "martyred," told the TV reporter that when he plays the 3D game, "it's like I'm my father, shooting at ISIS" and that you "wipe out the enemies, like the Jews and ISIS." The game's creator explained that it gives an appreciation of the difficulties faced by actual fighters on the ground, and Muhammad Kasrawani, a member of the "Holy Defense" media team, said that the goal was "to wage a parallel soft war." The report aired on February 28.

News Reporter: "'Holy Defense' is a virtual game, which simulates the heroic acts of the mujahideen of the Islamic resistance, against the takfiri movement in Lebanon and Syria."

Narrator: "As if these are the hands of his martyred father, Jawwad delivers his blows in defense of the holy places. Both defending and attacking, he is fighting the takfiri terrorism, which has defiled Syrian soil and the Lebanese mountain slopes."

Jawwad: "It's like I'm my father, shooting at ISIS. You defend the shrine of Sayyidah Zaynab, and wipe out the enemies, like the Jews and ISIS."

Narrator: "These electronic battles sweep Jawwad and his peers into the world of Holy Defense. The creator of this simulation game is a wounded Islamic resistance member."

The Game's Creator: "The game has various stages, named after places in Syria and Lebanon. These places are real, and so are the events that took place there. The code uses artificial intelligence. It is very difficult to complete the game, because of the massive fire and large-scale battles. The player realizes how difficult it is, due to the intense firing – so what about the men who were really there, on the ground, fighting the takfirists?"

Narrator: "'Holy Defense' is a 3D game, created by the electronic media unit, and sponsored by the Ahd news website."

Muhammad Kasrawani: "The goal of this game is to wage a parallel soft war. You follow the character of a solider called Ahmad, a Hizbullah mujahid, who makes peace by defeating terrorists and releasing civilian hostages. The game targets the resistance community, so that they can see the reality the mujahideen faced in Syria. It also targets the youth, aged 14 to 40, so that they can see how tough it was for the mujahideen."

Narrator: "The quality of this games is on par with [leading] games in the world, in terms of its concept and technological level. It is available on the Lebanese market, and will soon be made into smartphone apps."