In the villages of southern Lebanon, almost everyone knows the “Rabat” — literally, the “liaison.” On the surface, he appears to be a civilian fixer: the address for financial aid, mediation in neighborhood disputes, or coordination with local authorities. In reality, behind the civilian façade lies a far darker role — one that anchors Hezbollah’s terror infrastructure deep inside the civilian environment.

The Rabat is one of Hezbollah’s key figures in every village, wielding power, control and broad influence over daily life. He plays a central role in Hezbollah’s military entrenchment within urban areas. Among other tasks, the Rabat coordinates the takeover of private property, rents homes and buildings for terror purposes, and adapts them for military use — from weapons storage to operational deployments.

As the local representative of Hezbollah’s “executive council” — the organization’s civilian arm — and part of its tight system of surveillance and control, the Rabat is aware of the most sensitive military details: fighter deployments, weapons locations and the movement of units operating in the area. He effectively serves as Hezbollah’s eyes and ears, passing messages, issuing threats, interrogating residents and monitoring any deviation from the organization’s rules.