al-Hajj Radwan Force
فوج الحاج رضوان
Active2008–present
Country Lebanon
 Syria
Allegiance Hezbollah
TypeSpecial operations forces
RoleMilitary-security unit, direct action, raiding, ambush, sniping, reconnaissance
Size2,500 ca. (est. 2022)
Part ofHezbollah armed strength
Nickname(s)Unit 125
EngagementsAl-Qusayr offensive
Qalamoun offensive (2017)
Operation Spring Shield
2023 Israel–Lebanon border clashes
Commanders
Current
commander		Khalil Shahimi
Notable
commanders		Abu ‘Ali Al- Tabataba’i, Hamza Ibrahim Haidar

The al-Hajj Radwan Force (Arabic: فوج الحاج رضوان, romanized: Fawj al-Ḥajj Raḍwān, lit. 'al-Hajj Radwan Regiment', also spelled Redwan or Ridwan) is a special operation forces unit of Hezbollah. Its main mission is to infiltrate the territory of Israel, with specific attention to Galilee and northern Israel.[1]

Hezbollah has trained special forces fighters since the 1990s, which are today part of the Radwan Unit. They have particular experience in raids and small unit tactics[2] and according to Hezbollah perform "ambushes, assassinations, or operations that require deep infiltration."[3]

The unit, established in 2008, serves as organisational and operational basis for specialist units of Hezbollah. According to several sources, the involvement into the Syrian civil war granted Hezbollah in general, and the Radwan Force in particular, significant battlefield experience and combat arms coordination at a larger scale.[4] According to Israeli researcher Dima Adamsky, the cooperation with advanced regular armed forces in Syria enabled the Radwan Force to transition from advanced infantry to commando force, capable to achieve significant operational and strategic effects in a war against Israel.[5]

Name

Before April 2008, the Hezbollah special unit was known as the “Rapid Intervention Force” or the “Intervention Unit”. After the murder of Imad Fayez Mughniyeh, alias al-Hajj Radwan, the unit was renamed after the alias of Mughniyeh’s operational name, Hajj Radwan (الحاج رضوان).[1][6]

Mission

Radwan Force is the Hezbollah’s special unit, whose main mission is to infiltrate into Israeli territory, conquer Israeli territories and settlements in the Galilee.[1]

Alongside the actual invasion of Galilee, the Radwan Force is tasked to carry out reconnaissance and intelligence operations against Israeli targets by UAVs.[7]

History

The predecessor of the Radwan Force was known as the “Intervention Unit”. It was a veteran organic unit that was part of combat apparatus of Hezbollah. It functioned as a special offensive force tasked to assist Hezbollah’s territorial units. The “Intervention Unit” was commanded by Haytham Ali Tabataba’i.[1]

The unit was responsible for the capture of the Israeli soldiers in July 2006 that led to the outbreak of the 2006 Lebanon War. The preparations for the capture and the operation itself were carried out under then-commander’s direct command.[1]

The Radwan Force, which was established with the assistance of the IRGC Quds Force, was integrated into the existing “Intervention Unit”.[1]

Exposure

The Radwan Force was revealed in the Ashura ceremonies in 2014 in the Dahiya neighborhood of Beirut. On this occasion, militants of a distinct unit were photographed while providing security to the ceremonies.[1]

At this time, the Radwan Force was allegedly commanded by a man named Muhammad Ali Hamadi.[1][8]

Involvement in the Syrian civil war

The Radwan Force has been involved into the Syrian civil war since 2015-2016 as a support to Syrian government and was stationed in Aleppo area.[1]

Radwan Force also contributed to battles of al-Qusayr and of al-Qalamoun, being decisive for government's victory on these occasions.[1]

According to Tal Beeri, after the end of the main phases of the Syrian civil war, troops of the Radwan Force are garrisoned in northern Syria, as well as in Saraqib in Idlib Governorate. In this area, the Radwan Force operates in close coordination with Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba and Liwa Fatemiyoun,[1] but suffered significant casualities against regular Turkish Armed Forces.[9]

The Radwan Force area of operations also includes the Quneitra Governorate and Daraa, integrated with the Syrian Arab Army and Shiite militias. In the South, the Radwan Force cooperates with the 4th Armoured Division,[1] and with the Russian Naval Infantry Unit 810.[10]

In May 2017, Radwan Unit was allegedly withdrawn from Syria and redeployed on in southern Lebanon.[11]

In February 2020, Radwan Unit was targeted by the Turkish Air Force as part of Operation Spring Shield, suffering over two dozen of casualties.[12]

2023 Israel–Hamas war

Since the outbreak of the 2023 Israel–Hamas war, Hezbollah has transferred medical teams and significant forces of the Radwan Force on the Syrian-Israeli border.[13]

On 8 January 2024, in the village of Majdel Selm, an Israeli airstrike killed Wissam al-Tawil, a deputy head within the force with another Hezbollah fighter.[14]

Organisation

According to Tal Beeri, the Radwan Force consists of around 2,500 troops.[1][6] Under the Radwan Force command, several small, squad-level subunits (Arabic: شُعبة, romanized: Shu’aba, lit. 'Section') operate autonomously. Each sub-unit amounts to 7-10 militants based in Shiite villages in Lebanon. These villages function as logisitical reference points for squads. Squads are garrisoned in the vicinity of villages, with ammunition and self-sustainment supplies stored for emergencies.[7] While being garrisoned near amicable villages, militants are kept separated from civilian population.[6]

This organisation allows squad commanders to operate with significant tactical autonomy, without being dependent on external (and insecure) logistical assistance.[1]

Additionally, the unit consists of combat engineers who, apart from military training, are also trained in cyber and information gathering fields.[7]

According to Einav Halabi, three psychological care facilities operate in southern Lebanon in order to assist Radwan Force members.[6]

According to American-Israeli news enterprise All Israel News, the commander up to 23 November 2023 was Khalil Shahimi.[15]

Selection and training

Militants are admitted into the Radwan Force after a careful vetting process. Training begins only after the screening procedure.[1]

Training includes sniper training, anti-tank warfare, hand-to-hand combat, explosives training, tactical driving, as well as training for special forces. This latter variety of training includes a “captivity workshop”, in order to teach the trainee to behave in case of capture, and operation of intelligence-gathering UAVs.[1]

The Radwan Force’s training also emphasizes physical fitness, long-distance running, mountain navigation, and tactical warfare. The unit’s operatives receive training directly from the IRGC-GF Saberin Unit.[1]

Insignia

The al-Hajj Radwan Force insignia consists of a drawing of the Lebanese cedar tree and a roaring lion holding the Zulfiqar sword.[16]

Equipment

An armed militant of the Radwan Force. The militant is dressed in black tactical clothes and wears a black balaclava as well as dark goggles.
A militant of the Radwan Force.

According to Tal Beeri, the Radwan Force has access to all weapons in Hezbollah's arsenal which may be relevant for its operations, including every weapon pertaining to infantry and commando warfare available on the arms market. Combat accessories, including of Western and Russian origin,[8] are also used.[1]

The Radwan Force employs small, highly mobile units on motorcycles, quad bikes, and light all-terrain vehicles equipped with Russian-made Kornet ATGMs.[17]

Uniforms

On the occasion of their exposure in 2014, militants of the Radwan Force wore black uniforms, helmets, balaclavas, and dark goggles concealing their features and were armed with assault rifles typical of commando units.[1]

According to the Israel Defense Forces-linked Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, a 2023 video shows a Radwan Force member in a red beret and having an al-Radwan badge on his sleeve.[16]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 Beeri, Tal (5 January 2023). "The Radwan Unit ("Radwan Force" - Unit 125)". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  2. ↑ Pollak, Nadav (August 2016). "Research Notes No 35: The Transformation of Hezbollah by Its Involvement in Syria" (PDF). The Washington Institute for Near East Policy. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2020-08-27. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  3. ↑ Gabrielsen, Iver (2014) "The evolution of Hezbollah's strategy and military performance, 1982–2006," Small Wars & Insurgencies, 25:2, 257–283, DOI: 10.1080/09592318.2014.903636M
  4. ↑ Quitaz, Suzan (20 April 2023). "The Rise of Radwan Unit – Hezbollah's New Firepower". blogs.timesofisrael.com. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  5. ↑ Opall-Rome, Barbara (7 November 2016). "Russian Influence on Hezbollah Raises Red Flag in Israel". Defense News. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Halabi, Einav (9 June 2023). "Hezbollah's commando force emboldens Nasrallah to take on Israel". Ynetnews. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  7. 1 2 3 "Why Are Israeli Military Commanders Afraid of Hezbollah's Elite Radwan Unit?". Alwaght. 11 June 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  8. 1 2 Abou Assi, Jamil (7 November 2014). "Les forces spéciales du Hezbollah - Centre Français de Recherche sur le Renseignement". cf2r.org (in French). Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  9. ↑ Ahronheim, Anna (21 May 2020). "Israel learned from Hezbollah's defeat at the hands of Turkey". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 5 November 2023.
  10. ↑ Wahab, Hadi (January 2019). Hezbollah: A Regional Armed-Non State Actor (PDF). p. 290. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  11. ↑ "Organizational Chart". hezbollah.org. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  12. ↑ Ahronheim, Anna (21 May 2020). "Israel learned from Hezbollah's defeat at the hands of Turkey". The Jerusalem Post. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  13. ↑ Carter, Brian; Jhaveri, Ashka; Tyson, Kathryn; Moore, Johanna; Soltani, Amin; Harward, Christina; Carl, Nicholas (2 November 2023). "Iran Update, November 2, 2023". Institute for the Study of War. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
  14. ↑ Gebeily, Maya (8 January 2024). "Israeli strike on Lebanon kills senior commander in elite Hezbollah unit". Reuters. Retrieved 8 January 2024.
  15. ↑ "As northern front heats up, Israel strikes Hezbollah's Radwan Force HQ, killing son of Hezbollah parliament member". All Israel News. 23 November 2023. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  16. 1 2 "Spotlight on Terrorism: Hezbollah, Lebanon and Syria (June 2-15, 2023)" (PDF). www.terrorism-info.org.il. The Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. 18 June 2023. p. 2. Retrieved 26 November 2023.
  17. ↑ "Hezbollah's entry into the current conflict: a contrasting threat to that of Hamas". Prevail Partners. 16 October 2023. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
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