Hezbollah is in a state of frustration in recent weeks, mainly because of the complications due to its involvement in Syria. Sources close to the organization told al-Arab (Arabic link) that the heavy manpower losses the organization had suffered in the Syrian arena, where it helps the forces of President Bashar al-Assad, led the organization to reveal the existence of a spy in its ranks.

Hezbollah reportedly arrested a high-ranking official within its organization on suspicion of having links with the Israeli spy agency, Mossad. Last week, AFP cited an unnamed source close to investigations into the case as saying the detainee held an important position in Hezbollah’s Unit 910, which is in charge of the terrorist group’s “external operations.”

Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah ordered the information released to the media in order to justify the failure of the organization to avenge recent Israeli successes, including the killing of a senior Hezbollah official and destroying arms shipments arriving from Iran via Syria.

Sources close to the terror group said that Nasrallah’s decision was intended to disguise the anger that prevails in the ranks of Hezbollah’s military commanders and among the families of its dead fighters. They point out that the state of the organization is “difficult” due to the never-ending war in Syria, where Hezbollah committed thousands of its fighters to help prop up Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.

The anger in the ranks of Hezbollah is also due to the reduction in the annual aid that Iran transfers to the organization due to plummeting oil prices. This situation has forced some Hezbollah leaders to reconsider their position towards Syria and think about a full withdrawal without achieving the “victory” that Nasrallah promised.

The frustration that prevails in the ranks of Hezbollah was exposed recently with  the resignation (Arabic link) of a senior-ranking official in the group named Ghaleb Abu Zainab. According to some reports, he resigned also because of charges of financial corruption.

In order to alleviate its difficult situation, Hezbollah is trying now to reduce its domination of the internal discourse in Lebanon and to reach out towards moderate Lebanese political players.

[Photo: Wikimedia CC 2.0, by Harout Arabian]