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Spotlight on Terrorism Hezbollah and Lebanon (April 27 – May 4, 2026)

Hezbollah issued 49 claims of responsibility for attacks on IDF forces in south Lebanon, about half of them using explosive drones. Hezbollah admitted that thousands of the organization’s operatives had been killed since the beginning of the hostilities on March 2, 2026. Hezbollah secretary general Na'im Qassem claimed there was no ceasefire in Lebanon and praised the "resistance fighters'" hit-and-run methods against Israeli forces; Simon Karam, former Lebanese ambassador, will reportedly participate in the third meeting held by the ambassadors of Lebanon and Israel in the United States to demonstrate his country’s commitment to direct talks with Israel. However, Beirut said a meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was not on the agenda, and they continued to demand a complete halt to Israeli attacks; Hezbollah secretary general accused the Lebanese authorities of stabbing the resistance in the back and claimed that direct negotiations with Israel would serve only the interests of Netanyahu and the United States. The editor of Hezbollah-affiliated daily al-Akhbar  warned that if Aoun met Netanyahu he would be considered a president working on behalf of the "occupation."; A satirical video on a Lebanese television channel showed the Hezbollah secretary general as a character from Angry Birds and angered Hezbollah supporters, who responded with drawings that insulted the Maronite Christian leader.
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Hezbollah Uses First Person View Drones Againt Israel

Rapid First Person View (FPV) drones, which are based on fiber optics and make precise strikes possible at distances of dozens of kilometers while overcoming electronic warfare capabilities, have become a cheap and accessible weapon on the battlefield in recent years, as was seen in the war in Ukraine; Hezbollah began limited use of FPV drones during the previous war against Israel (October 8, 2023-November 27, 2024). In the current war, which began on March 2, 2026, Hezbollah increased its use of explosive drones, and since the start of the ceasefire it has focused the attacks on IDF forces in south Lebanon; Hezbollah reportedly operates workshops in south Lebanon and the Beqa'a Valley to assemble the drones, which cost only hundreds of dollars. It was also claimed that last year the Lebanese army seized a shipment of 5,000 drones which were smuggled into Lebanon, but dozens of other shipments have reached the organization; Reports in media outlets affiliated with Hezbollah and the "resistance axis" noted the use of FPV drones as a game-changers in the war in south Lebanon, making it possible for the organization to wage an asymmetric war against Israel’s technological superiority, based on low cost, precision and flexibility; Hezbollah also exploits the drone attacks for propaganda, quoting reports and commentaries from Israeli media to strengthen the idea of a threat and make it seem as though Israel's technological superiority has been eroded; The use of fiber-optic FPV drones enables Hezbollah to increase pressure on IDF forces cheaply while increasing their propaganda value because they are difficult to intercept. In ITIC assessment, Hezbollah will continue using drones while improving their capabilities and integrating them into more complex combat arrays.
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Spotlight on Iran and the Shiite Axis (April 15—29, 2026)

The commander of the IRGC’s Qods Force praised Hezbollah’s “steadfastness” in the war with Israel. He declared that Israel failed to realize its goals, Hezbollah won the campaign, and the “unity of the arenas” is stronger than ever; The Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson strongly condemned the continued IDF activity in the Gaza Strip and called on the international community to act against Israel; The commander of the Qods Force arrived for a visit to Iraq – his first trip outside Iran since the beginning of the “Roaring Lion” war – and met with senior officials of the pro-Iranian Shiite militias. The visit took place amid negotiations to establish a new government in Iraq and the possibility of renewed war against Iran; The Houthi leader estimated that the ceasefire in the campaign against Iran is nearing its end, and the Houthi defense minister declared they are at high readiness to confront any “aggression.”; The Houthis condemned the appointment of the first Israeli ambassador to Somaliland; The US administration offered rewards of ten million dollars for information on the leaders of two pro-Iranian militias in Iraq and imposed sanctions on seven militia commanders.
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Spotlight on Terrorism and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict (April 14 – 28, 2026)

IDF forces continued operations to locate terrorist operatives and destroy weapons and terrorist infrastructure within the Yellow Line in the Gaza Strip. Operatives who violated the ceasefire and planned terrorist attacks were eliminated, including those involved in the October 7, 2023 attack and massacre; Direct talks were held between Hamas representatives and representatives of the American administration for the first time since the ceasefire. The Board of Peace high commissioner, Nikolai Mladenov, said an agreement could be reached for disarming Hamas, but warned that swift understandings were required to maintain momentum; Hamas rejected statements by the IDF and the American vice president regarding an increase in aid to the Strip, and alleged that Israel still restricted the entry of food, medicine and fuel; A slate affiliated with Fatah won the local elections in Deir al-Balah, the first time since 2006. Hamas police and hundreds of Hamas government officials were involved in organizing and securing the voting; Clashes took place between Hamas security forces and opposing militias; There were two stabbing attacks in Judea and Samaria; no casualties were reported. Israeli security forces located a cache of explosive devices in a school in the Hebron area; Settler terrorism continued in Judea and Samaria.
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Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah and Lebanon (April 13-27, 2026)

On April 16, 2026, America announced a ten-day ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon. On April 22, 2026, the ceasefire was extended for an additional three weeks; Until the ceasefire, the IDF attacked hundreds of Hezbollah terrorist targets in south Lebanon from the air, eliminated hundreds of commanders and operatives, and continued establishing a forward defense zone in south Lebanon. After the ceasefire went into effect, IDF forces destroyed terrorist infrastructure and assets, eliminated operatives within the forward defense zone (the Yellow Line) and attacked infrastructure and operatives in response to Hezbollah violations. Four IDF soldiers were killed in the fighting, three of them after the ceasefire; Since the beginning of the ceasefire, Hezbollah issued 23 claims of responsibility for attacking IDF forces in south Lebanon and communities in northern Israel in response to alleged Israeli "violations." UAVs were used in most of the attacks. Hezbollah secretary general declared that the organization would continue its "defensive resistance"; The ambassadors of Israel and Lebanon to the United States held two direct meetings, one of them at the White House. Lebanon's president and senior government officials defended the decision to open direct negotiations with Israel, while Hezbollah secretary general and other senior figures strongly opposed, and accused the government of allowing the "aggression"; Security forces in Syria arrested a Hezbollah terrorist cell and prevented rockets from being fired at Israeli territory from south Syria; Lebanese authorities reported that at least 2,509 people had been killed since the beginning of the hostilities on March 2, 2026 and more than 121,000 people were still in displacement centers. 
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Themes and Motifs in the Rhetoric of Na’im Qassem, Hezbollah Secretary General

Na'im Qassem was appointed secretary general of Hezbollah on October 29, 2024, when the organization was challenged by the elimination of the previous secretary general, Hassan Nasrallah, and much of the senior leadership, and the deaths and wounding of thousands of commanders and operatives in the hostilities against Israel; Since his appointment, on more than fifty occasions he has addressed Hezbollah's situation in speeches, declarations and open letters dealing with the struggle of the "resistance" against Israel and the complex relations between the organization and the institutions of the Lebanese state, especially the government decisions it; The rhetoric of Qassem's first speeches was defensive and intended primarily to underscore that the organization was recovering and rehabilitating itself after the blows it received and that it played a vital role in defending Lebanon. In the absence of tangible achievements and amid growing internal criticism, he established the narrative that the organization's survival was a victory. He also promoted a narrative of patience intended to justify Hezbollah's lack of offensive action despite Israeli "aggression"; Hezbollah's entry into the war in support of Iran on March 2, 2026 provided Qassem with an opportunity to justify ending the narrative of "patience," emphasize the connection with Iran and escalate his rhetoric against the Lebanese leadership because of the direct negotiations with Israel. However, after the ceasefire on April 16, 2026, he promoted claims of victory to send "moderate" messages about willingness for dialogue with the Lebanese government to distance it from the United States and Israel and to change its attitude toward the "resistance"; In ITIC assessment, the development of Qassem's rhetoric from defensive to militant reflects the organization's approach to Israel, apparently inspired or dictated by Iran, and corresponds to the complex situations and challenges he has faced since he became secretary general. However, even after he escalated his rhetoric against the Lebanese government and his sharp criticism of it, Qassem restrained himself to avoid an increase in the organization's internal isolation. Hezbollah's entry into the hostilities against Israel on March 2, 2026, under instructions from its Iranian patron, was accompanied by a sharpening of Qassem's rhetoric, focusing on his absolute opposition to any political arrangement with Israel which would affect the future of the organization.
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