Hirsch commanded the 91st Division of Israel Defense Forces during the 2006 Lebanon War. After the war he became the scapegoat for the widespread frustration in Israel, having had direct responsibility both for the abduction affair and the battles of Bint Jbeil and Ayta ash-Sha'b, in which Israel failed to occupy the two towns in spite of suffering high casualties. He was forced to resign a few months after the war.