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Hezbollah on Telegram: Post-Ceasefire Media Campaigns and Narrative Shifts

Abstract

This article examines Hezbollah’s coordinated media campaigns on Telegram between November 2024 and May 2025. It reveals how the organization shifted its messaging from declarations of military victory to themes of resilience, national unity, and civil legitimacy. Through analyzing hashtags, visual content, and rhetorical patterns across official and affiliated channels on Telegram, the article highlights how Hezbollah seeks to preserve its relevance in Lebanon’s rapidly changing political landscape. Far from being mere propaganda, these media campaigns represent a calculated effort for organizational survival.

Introduction

Since the 2024 ceasefire with Israel, Hezbollah has faced a significant weakening of its political status and military capabilities. This decline was further intensified by Lebanon’s presidential change in January 2025 and ongoing calls for Hezbollah’s disarmament. The organization’s weakened position follows a year-long conflict with Israel and the loss of its dominant leader, Hassan Nasrallah, creating substantial challenges for rehabilitation.

As Hezbollah loses political and military prominence in Lebanon, a critical question emerges: how is the organization’s weakness reflected in the media? Hezbollah has increasingly turned to  social platforms such as Telegram — to shape perception and project continuity despite growing  challenges. These media campaigns are not just about narratives; they’re about survival. 

The following article examines Hezbollah’s narratives with a particular focus on the period following the Israel–Lebanon ceasefire of November 2024 through May 2025. The analysis focuses on a diverse set of Arabic and English language Telegram channels affiliated with Hezbollah. Through the identification of content trends and frequently used hashtags, the article traces prominent shifts in Hezbollah’s media campaign strategy. Particular attention is given to how these campaigns reflect developments on the ground and attempt to maintain a sense of continuity amid political and operational challenges.

Hezbollah’s Telegram Eco-System

Hezbollah’s strategic use of media, particularly social media platforms, is central to its efforts to affect public opinion, gain support and conduct psychological warfare. The organization’s Media Unit plays a pivotal role in producing and disseminating tailored content across multiple platforms, including television, radio, and social media[1], effectively aligning public narratives with Hezbollah’s broader objectives.[2]

In recent years, Hezbollah has encountered increasing distribution restrictions on major social media platforms such as Facebook and X (Twitter), compelling it to seek alternative platforms.[3] Telegram has consequently emerged as a preferred platform for Hezbollah, as well as for other terrorist organizations, primarily due to its relatively permissive content policies, which reduce the risk of account suspension and content removal.[4]This preference was explicitly articulated in October 2024 when an official Hezbollah channel belonging to the organization’s military media declared that the organization maintained no social media presence outside Telegram.[5]

The steady increase in follower numbers across Hezbollah-linked Telegram channels highlights the platform’s growing strategic significance.[6] For example, the Hezbollah Military Media channel in Arabic has almost 400,000 followers.

Within Telegram, Hezbollah operates various channel types, each characterized by distinct content, operational styles, and objectives. These include [1] official channels directly managed by the organization including affiliated news outlets. [2] unofficial channels, and [3] channels run by supporters associated with the broader “Axis of Resistance.” Each type of channel uniquely contributes to Hezbollah’s integrated media strategy.

Ongoing monitoring shows that official Telegram channels (including news outlets such as am-Manar, Al-Ahed English, etc,  focus more on formal messaging and on reinforcing Hezbollah’s image as a leading, legitimate force in Lebanon. Unofficial channels offer greater flexibility and often adopt a harsher tone against opponents. Supporter-run channels act as force multipliers, amplifying shared “Axis of Resistance” narratives and strengthening both public and ideological support across the region.

The interplay among these channel types provides Hezbollah with a multi-layered media strategy that amplifies its influence. In practice, the coordinated dissemination of content suggests a careful approach.

Hezbollah’s Post-Ceasefire Media Campaigns (Nov 2024–May 2025)

Within Hezbollah’s strategy, there are two main types of media campaigns, event-driven campaigns and ongoing, continuous campaigns. Continuous campaigns are broader and more sustained in nature. They are not tied to a single event but are part of a long-term narrative strategy. These campaigns revolve around recurring themes such as martyrdom, resistance, religious legitimacy, psychological warfare and—since October 2023—increasing emphasis on regional unity, particularly within the Axis of Resistance. They are repetitive, ideologically driven, and serve to maintain a consistent narrative presence across time, regardless of external developments. 

In contrast, event-driven campaigns are typically short-term or reactive, launched in direct response to specific developments in real life. These campaigns are characterized by concentrated bursts of messaging, tailored hashtags, and coordinated media posts that align closely with the timing and nature of the event.

Since the ceasefire with Israel in November 2024, five major event-driven campaigns have played a central role in shaping Hezbollah’s media strategy, serving as key tools to counterbalance its declining position on the ground.

1. The Divine Victory Campaign: November 2024 

Following the November 26, 2024 cease-fire, Hezbollah-affiliated media channels launched a concentrated media campaign that reframed the cease-fire with Israel as a strategic victory. “In the battle of The Formidable in Might, we are witnessing a great victory surpassing the July 2006 triumph” (Sheikh Naim Qassem, November 2024)[7]. The campaign focuses on Hezbollah’s achievements during the war while underscoring the IDF’s failure to achieve its objectives.

This campaign was further reinforced through images of symbolic acts[8], including visuals of sacrifice and resistance, as well as videos and documentaries highlighting their claimed victory. The campaign also maximized its impact on social media by utilizing hashtags such as #Victory_from_Allah,#The_Flag_Has_Not_and_Will_Not_Fall,#The_Battle_of_the_Steadfast_Ones, and #Victorious.

Left to Right: Hezbollah supporters returns to southern Lebanon, symbolizing loyalty and resilience; an image of an alleged victim of the “Biper” attack, used to frame sacrifice and steadfastness as victory; a caricature depicting the U.S. commanding Arab states to submit to Israel, while Nasrallah remains defiant.

The campaign targeted multiple audiences across different spheres. Most prominent was the domestic audience, where it aimed to strengthen public support and reinforce Hezbollah’s legitimacy—particularly among its Shiite support base, which suffered significant losses during the war with Israel. At the same time, the messaging served to counter criticism from internal opponents who accused Hezbollah of dragging Lebanon into an unnecessary conflict. 

Over time, Hezbollah’s narrative of “victory” has shifted from battlefield achievements to emphasizing organizational resilience. As Sheikh Naeem Qassem declared on December 14, 2024, “The resistance remained in the field until the last moment.” This message was echoed across social media platforms through the hashtag #We_are_strong_and_our_resistance_will_remain, reinforcing the idea of unyielding commitment. In parallel, Hezbollah promoted its post-war reconstruction efforts—particularly in rebuilding homes and restoring agricultural lands in southern Lebanon—under the hashtag #Promise_and_Commitment, framing these civilian recovery efforts as further proof of victory. Ultimately, the concept of “victory” became a core element of Hezbollah’s long-term media strategy.

Hezbollah-affiliated post highlighting rehabilitation efforts in southern Lebanon, emphasizing reconstruction as part of the victory narrative.[9]

2. Hezbollah’s Ceasefire Violation Campaign: December 2024

In December 2024, Hezbollah viewed renewed Israeli attacks in Lebanon (triggered by Hezbollah’s ceasefire violations) as a strategic opportunity to gain back legitimacy. Through a coordinated media campaign on Telegram, Hezbollah-affiliated channels portrayed the ceasefire as fragile and constantly under threat. Posts frequently featured reports of alleged Israeli violations, accompanied by images of destruction, to reinforce the narrative that Israel was the aggressor and that Hezbollah’s military presence remained essential.

Hezbollah Telegram channels routinely published photos documenting IDF troop movements or attacks in southern Lebanon. These visuals aimed to evoke urgency and present Hezbollah as Lebanon’s frontline defender.

At the same time, regional developments—including the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria and the entry of Israeli forces into Syrian territory—were framed as part of Israel’s broader territorial ambitions. Hezbollah used these developments to place Lebanon’s situation within a larger regional struggle. In one post, the group declared: “Zionist” army against Lebanon, its daily violations, and its assaults on Gaza, posing a grave danger to the region. This affirms the unified path of nations and underscores the necessity of rejecting and confronting this aggression”….”We have always warned against “Israeli” ambitions across the region and have resisted them to prevent the occupation from achieving its goals”(December 10, 2024, official statement of Hezbollah Military Media on Telegram)[10].

Left: A Telegram post depicting Hezbollah as the defender of Palestinians. Right: A visual framing of Syria’s new regime as aligned with Salafi jihadists, Israel, Turkey, and the United States.

The campaign also tapped into broader sectarian emotions. Across Hezbollah-linked channels, there was a strong narrative of Shiite victimhood—due to attacks on the Houthis in Yemen, the Assad regime, sanctions on Iran, and the conflict in Lebanon. Posts drew symbolic connections to the Battle of Karbala, with phrases such as: “How similar our day is to Karbala…”.

Picture published on a Hezbollah-linked Telegram channel drawing a parallel between current events and the historical trauma of Karbala, using the phrase “How similar our day is to Karbala…” to reinforce a narrative of Shiite persecution, sacred resistance, and ideological duty.

3. National Unity – The Presidential Elections: January 2025 

In January 2025, Parliament elected army commander Joseph Aoun as president. Hezbollah’s preferred candidate, Suleiman Frangieh, withdrew, signaling a clear political defeat for the organization. Upon his election, Aoun declared that “the state alone will carry the weapons,” marking a direct challenge to Hezbollah’s armed status. 

Despite the significance of this development, the interesting aspect of this campaign is that Hezbollah-affiliated Telegram channels were initially slow to respond. They most likely awaited official guidance and speeches from the group’s leadership before crafting a unified narrative.  

As Hezbollah’s official discourse evolved—marked by a less confrontational tone toward the newly elected president—its narrative on Telegram shifted as well, emphasizing post-election alignment with national interests under the theme of “national unity.” This shift likely reflects a broader domestic strategy aimed at preserving Hezbollah’s legitimacy amid changing political dynamics. 

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun receives an invitation to participate in the funeral of martyrs Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah and Sayyed Hashem Safieddine, during his reception of a delegation from the Loyalty to the Resistance bloc headed by MP Muhammad Raad.[11]

4.  Redefining Resistance – Resistance and Liberation Day – May 2025

In May 2025, Hezbollah launched a media campaign to mark Resistance and Liberation Day, commemorating Israel’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon in 2000. While the event traditionally celebrates past military achievements, this year’s campaign was strategically designed to reinforce Hezbollah’s relevance amid domestic criticism and growing calls for disarmament. It was further elaborated in Sheikh Naim Qassem’s speech for the Resistance and Liberation Day: “To anyone still questioning whether the resistance will endure, we answer: It remains—and it remains despite your objections. It endures through sacrifice and blood, through honor and victory. It endures through the pride of the people, through the martyrs, the wounded, and the prisoners. It lives on in the pure, faithful families who embrace the resistance and in the children who dream of standing at the frontlines to defend dignity and the homeland.”[12]

The campaign was visually driven, combining archival footage from key moments in Hezbollah’s history in 2000—with current images of fighters and martyrs. Posts across Hezbollah-linked Telegram channels featured hashtags such as #Resistance_and_Liberation_Day, #The_Resistance_Is_Patient_and_Ready, #Upholding_the_pledge_O_South, and #Development_and_Loyalty. 

A key theme was the conceptualization of resistance as a three-stage: combat and deterrence, strategic patience, and civil reconstruction. Through this, Hezbollah projected a dual identity—military defender and civic actor—thereby aligning itself with national unity. “If we are to redefine resistance today, it is a defensive resistance—a stance against occupation, a refusal to surrender. Resistance is a choice. At times it fights and deters, at other times it endures and prevents, and at other moments it waits and remains ready. Resistance doesn’t mean wielding weapons every day or launching attacks without cause. Resistance is a mindset, a direction. Weapons are merely tools, used only when needed, with wisdom and in the nation’s best interest. Resistance, at its core, is an act of will, of the people, and of deliberate choice” ( Sheikh Naim Qassem’s speech for the Resistance and Liberation Day),[13]

Ultimately, the campaign illustrates Hezbollah’s strategic effort to merge historical memory (martyrdom, liberation) with forward-looking narratives of governance and reconstruction. It reflects a calculated transition from exclusively military resistance to a broader model of civil resistance deeply embedded in Lebanon’s social and geographic fabric—without relinquishing its deterrent power. Through slogans such as “We are not threatened,” Hezbollah continues to position itself not merely as an armed faction or political party, but as the unshakable guardian of Lebanon’s sovereignty.

Symbolic Posts Commemorating Resistance and Liberation Day

5. Loyalty – Municipal Elections – May 2025

Ahead of Lebanon’s municipal elections in May 2025, Hezbollah-affiliated Telegram channels launched a coordinated campaign to push voter turnout in its strongholds, particularly in southern Lebanon. The campaign blended ideological and civic themes, using hashtags such as: #DevelopmentAndLoyalty, #OnTheCovenantOfTheSouth, and #WeAreKeepingCommitted. This narrative presented the local elections as an extension of resistance, positioning civic engagement as both a political act and a sacred duty. 

The content circulating on these channels included images of Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, portraits of fallen fighters, and footage of supporters casting their votes — often accompanied by slogans such as “The journey continues, in keeping with the pledge of the martyrs and leaders” and “With blood and ink we renewed our pledge.” Voters are portrayed as “loyal sacrificers”, fulfilling a moral and ideological obligation.

Posts published during the campaign encouraging voting 

Hezbollah’s leadership also directly addressed the elections. In one statement, Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem declared: “We are not addressing you to achieve victory in the elections. You will win, God willing, through your solidarity and support for the Amal Movement and Hezbollah—as they run together in the election—and your support for the resistance. Rather, you are the resistance.” He further emphasized that Hezbollah “approached these elections with a spirit of national unity. We acted as a social safety valve and a stabilizing force for national balance among the country’s components.”[14] Through this framing, Hezbollah positioned the municipal elections as a natural extension of the resistance—now increasingly intertwined with state objectives.

Conclusions 

Since the war with Israel began, Hezbollah underwent a period of political, military, and strategic decline—losing on the battlefield, losing its preferred presidential candidate, and losing dominance in a region marked by shifting alliances and escalating crises. Yet amid these setbacks, Hezbollah turned decisively to its media apparatus—especially Telegram (including its main media outlets which also have a presence within the social media)—to reassert its relevance, reshape public perception, and show continuity in the face of weakness. However, the gap between media narratives and on-the-ground realities is widening. As external pressure increases, domestic criticism grows, and regional dynamics evolve.

A review of Hezbollah’s five key media campaigns on Telegram from November 2024 to May 2025 reveals a clear evolution in narrative strategy. The initial “Divine Victory” campaign, launched after the ceasefire with Israel, framed the outcome as a historic and divine success, using religious symbolism and martyrdom to present strength despite its losses. This was quickly followed by a “violation campaign” in December, emphasizing alleged Israeli ceasefire breaches and renewed attacks. Hezbollah used these events to justify its continued military presence and position itself as Lebanon’s defender amid rising regional instability, including the collapse of the Assad regime. 

In January 2025, Hezbollah once again adapted its messaging following the election of President Joseph Aoun, who posed a direct challenge to the organization’s armed status. Its affiliated channels gradually shifted toward themes of national unity, combining them with resistance rhetoric to reposition the group as an integral part of the state. This narrative shift was reinforced in May during Resistance and Liberation Day, when Hezbollah emphasized its historic legacy of past victories while promoting a more fluid interpretation of what constitutes resistance.

By the time of the May municipal elections, Hezbollah’s messaging had fully focused on civic themes. Campaigns encouraged voter turnout in strongholds using hashtags tied to development, sacrifice, and loyalty, framing participation as a continuation of resistance. Across these campaigns, the tone moved from militant tone to strategic integration, showing how Hezbollah leverages media to adapt to political realities.

Two main types of publications during this period, though less central to the event-driven campaigns, are part of Hezbollah’s ongoing long-term narrative strategy. The first type reflects the continued effort to align with the broader Axis of Resistance—demonstrated through the amplification of content from allies in Yemen, Gaza, Iran, and various Shiite militias, along with public expressions of solidarity. The second type involves the selective use of Israeli news content, repurposed as a tool of psychological warfare.

One clear conclusion is that Hezbollah’s Telegram campaigns are not grassroots efforts by supporters, but are instead driven from the top down—originating with the leadership and then amplified through both formal and informal channels, including official media outlets affiliated with the organization. These campaigns rely heavily on leadership speeches and statements, which are repurposed into various forms of online content. However, there has been a noticeable shift in the coherence of media output since the organization suffered significant setbacks during the war, particularly following the death of Nasrallah. The issue is not technical in nature, but rather stems from an apparent lack of clear policy, which has hindered the cohesiveness and speed of campaign execution.

Ultimately, Hezbollah’s post-ceasefire media campaigns reveal more than propaganda. They reflect a movement in survival mode, using media as a lifeline to preserve power, identity, and relevance. Whether this strategy can sustain the organizations’ legitimacy in the face of a decrease in internal support, state pushback, and shifting regional alliances remains an open question.


[1] Byman, D., & McCaleb, E. (2023, July 31). Understanding Hamas’s and Hezbollah’s uses of information technology. Center for Strategic & International Studies. Retrieved November 11, 2024, from https://www.csis.org/analysis/understanding-hamass-and-hezbollahs-uses-information-technology; Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. (2019, September). Hezbollah’s media empire. Retrieved November 13, 2024, from https://www.terrorism-info.org.il/en/hezbollahs-media-empire/

[2] Jovany, S. (2022, September 4). Hizballah’s narrative in the service of legitimizing military action. Beehive: Middle East Social Media. Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies. Retrieved from https://dayan.org/content/hizballahs-narrative-service-legitimizing-military-action

[3] Zinger, A. (2018, June 23). Hezbollah’s social media accounts were blocked. KAN News. https://www.kan.org.il/content/kan-news/global/240474/

[4] Khudri, M. F., & Sarwono, J. S. (2023, December 18). Hezbollah’s online battleground: Military Media Unit’s narratives on Telegram. GNET. https://gnet-research.org/2023/12/18/hezbollahs-online-battleground-military-media-units-narratives-on-telegram/

[5] Telegram. November, 2024.

[6] Khudri, M. F., & Sarwono, J. S. (2023, December 18). Hezbollah’s online battleground: Military Media Unit’s narratives on Telegram. GNET. https://gnet-research.org/2023/12/18/hezbollahs-online-battleground-military-media-units-narratives-on-telegram/

[7] Telegram, November 2024

[8] International Institute for Counter-Terrorism. (2024, December 1). Shaping perception: Hezbollah’s victory campaign after the ceasefire. ICT.https://ict.org.il/hezbollahs-victory-campaign-after-the-ceasefire/

[9] Telegram, December 2024 

[10] Telegram 2024

[11] Telegram, January 2025

[12] Telegram, May 2025

[13] Telegram, May 2025

[14] Telegram, May 2025

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