Fakrhy holds the opinion that Hizbullah's unconventional forces were one of the reasons behind its victory. "We fight a guerilla warfare, which gives us an advantage and makes us more efficient. The conventional army cannot defend Lebanon's southern border," she added.

"We would respond to the Israeli aggression in 1996 by launching missiles at northern occupied Palestine⁽¹⁾, and when the Israelis sent their jets to destroy the missile launchers, they couldn't find them," she said.

In 1996, Israel carried out what it called the Grapes of Wrath Operation. During the military operation in which Israeli armor, artillery, and bombers hammered the whole of south Lebanon, 102 civilians who took shelter in a UN peacekeeping compound in Qana were shattered to pieces.

What about the other Lebanese factions that are worried about Hizbullah having a military wing? Fakhry made the point that having unconventional forces from other political forces is a possible solution and it is something that can be discussed. "It is not a must to have guerrilla fighters only from Hizbullah to defend the southern border," she said.

Fakhry made it clear that a decision was made on the leadership level that the Islamic resistance will respond to any Israeli attacks.

Responding to a question about Shebaa farms, Fakhry said, "We have committed ourselves to liberating Shebaa farms, but the methods depend on the conditions in the battlefield."

"Our fighters have accurate information according to which they act. Every now and then we undertake an operation to remind the enemy that we are here. We are not an army, and the farms will not be liberated overnight. Such things need time," she added, commenting on the frequency of Hizbullah's military operations in Shebaa farms.

Fakhry explained how Shebaa farms is different from the other liberated areas. "The facts on the ground play a big role. Unlike the other parts of south Lebanon, Shebaa farms is an unpopulated area." Shebaa farms, according to Fakhry, have a strategic importance: If Israel loses control over the area, it will be deprived of the strategic depth that Shebaa farms offer.

With regard to the plot to assassinate Hizbullah's Secretary General Hassan Nasrullah, which was discovered by the Lebanese military intelligence before it was carried out, she said, "We don't know much about this issue yet. The whole thing is in the hands of the judiciary. We have gone through similar situations before; it's not the first assassination attempt."

It is important to note that two of Hizbullah's former secretary generals, Ragheb Harb and Abbass al-Mousawi, were assassinated by the Israelis in two separate incidents. Harb was assassinated in 1984, while Al-Mousawi was killed, together with his wife and 5-year-old child, by an Apache missile that was launched at his car in 1992.

Fakhry fully understands the importance of the media in conveying the message of the movement to the outside world. "The media is a very powerful weapon; therefore, it is one of our top priorities and we have several media outlets, but we have limited resources," she explained.

On my way back to the hotel, I thought about how the Lebanese villagers could now smell the breeze of freedom without fearing Israeli soldiers arresting their sons and throwing them into torture centers or killing their loved ones in front of their eyes. I looked at the faces of the residents of the modest neighborhood and I thought about the years of marginalization, war, and suffering they had experienced.

On the corner of the street, I saw a group of children playing with a ball, a mother holding her baby, and a couple of young girls chatting. I thought about the men guarding the border, the blood spilled, and the huge price that had been paid to keep smiles on those faces.