Back وحدة الرضوان Arabic Rizvan gücü Azerbaijani রেদোয়ান বাহিনী Bengali/Bangla Fuerza Redwan Spanish Force Redwan French כוח רדואן HE Силы аль-Хаджа Радвана Russian Trung đoàn Radwan Vietnamese
| al-Hajj Radwan Force | |
|---|---|
| فوج الحاج رضوان | |
| Active | 2008–present |
| Country |  Lebanon Syria |
| Allegiance |  Hezbollah |
| Type | Special operations forces |
| Role | Military-security unit, direct action, raiding, ambush, sniping, reconnaissance |
| Size | 2,500 ca. (est. 2022) |
| Part of | Hezbollah armed strength |
| Nickname(s) | Unit 125 |
| Engagements | |
| 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 Force. Originally known as the "Rapid Intervention Force" or the "Intervention Unit", the unit was renamed in 2008 to honor Imad Fayez Mughniyeh, a senior Hezbollah leader also known as "Hajj Radwan."[2] The Radwan Forces have particular experience in raids and small unit tactics[3] and according to Hezbollah, perform "ambushes, assassinations, or operations that require deep infiltration."[4]
Despite UN Resolution 1701, which demands that Hezbollah withdraw its forces north of the Litani River,[5] the Radwan Force remains deployed along the Blue Line—the border monitored by United Nations peacekeepers—conducting surveillance and gathering intelligence on northern Israel.[2] The unit has been active in various conflicts, including the Syrian civil war and the ongoing skirmishes along the Lebanon-Israel border. The unit has been involved in the fighting since October 7, 2023, and is expected to lead any future Hezbollah incursions into Israel.[2]
- ^ Beeri, Tal (5 January 2023). "The Radwan Unit ("Radwan Force" - Unit 125)". Alma Research and Education Center. Retrieved 4 November 2023.
- ^ a b c Dabouch, Sarah (2024-02-15). "What is the Radwan Force, Hezbollah's elite unit on the Israeli border?". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
- ^ 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.
- ^ 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
- ^ "France reportedly drops call for Hezbollah to pull back behind Litani in new proposal to end fighting in north". Times of Israel. 2024-04-29. Retrieved 2024-06-07.