Hezbollah, is an armed resistance in the Middle East which defines itself as a movement fighting against Israel, the United States and its allies’ influence in the region. The group is deeply involved in the Lebanese government, society and military. The group wields high level of power, control over the Lebanese government, including vast political and military network. Thus it is sometimes described as “a state within a state” .
The group popularity is based on the perception of people that they are the most effective force that can stand up to Israel aggression in the region.
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Its influence spread across the region, including militias in Iraq and Syria, Hamas in Gaza and the Houtis in Yemen.
But how did they become this powerful to the extent of having their own soldiers, military weapons and sponsorship from a government.
The Beginning
The name Hezbollah means party of God, it is a religious movement and a secret organisation. Its members are mainly from the Shia branch of Islam and it also prides itself as a political party with members in Lebanon’s parliament and ministers in the cabinet.
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The group started in 1982 when a group of Shia Muslims who felt marginalised in the society by the Lebanese government aligned with Iran’s revolutionary ideology came together to fight the Israeli forces. Iran capitalised on it, providing food, training and weapons to the group. The group then adopted a name now known as Hezbollah.
In a 1985 document shown by Al Jazeera the group defined itself as a resistance force against Israeli occupation with the “ final obliteration of Israel and the liberation of vulnerable Jerusalem from the talons of occupation” as their ultimate goal.
And also ‘the final departure of France, America and their allies from Lebanon and the termination of the influence of any imperialist power in the country”.
In 1990’s the group evolved into a political party and won its first seat in Lebanon parliament in 1992 and eventually became the leading voice for the Lebanese Shia community.
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In the 2000’s its members started occupying key political positions in the Lebanese government.
The group is closely linked to Iranian leadership with much of its sponsorship coming from Iran. The United States estimates Iran allocates hundreds of millions of dollars annually to Hezbollah in recent years.
This was confirmed in a broadcast where Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasarallah said that all of Hezbollah’s budget, expenses, wages, food, drinks, weapons and rockets were being supplied by the Islamic Republic of Iran.
The group also has strong military weapons such as precision rockets that can hit all parts of Israel and has as much as 100,000 fighters but experts believe it can be below that amount. They however have no known military base.
Hezbollah has also been linked as a branch of Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp.
Their key leader Hassan Nasrallah, a Shia cleric who was the Secretary General had a stronghold base in southern Lebanon and led for 32 years until he was killed by an airstrike in Lebanon on September 27 2024.
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Why are they important in Israel- Gaza war
Having an ideology of exterminating Israel, Hezbollah has always been aggressive toward Israel in the Middle East region and with the level of military weaponry focused its strength in pushing Israel out of Southern Lebanon, a victory they achieved in 2000 when Israel withdrew.
Then in July 12 2006, Hezbollah captured two Israeli soldiers in a bid to swap them for their’s. This failed as Israel rather responded militarily to retrieve the two soldiers and with the intent of destroying Hezbollah and that’s how another conflict started which lasted for 34 days. At the end 1,109 Lebanese, 250 Hezbollah soldiers died. Hezbollah’s rocket also killed 43 Israeli civilians and 12 soldiers.
Meanwhile, Hassan Nasrallah Hezbollah’s Secretary-General in a speech said the 2006 war was a key victory for the group and for Lebanon’s security.
“This is the historic and strategic accomplishment that the resistance achieved for Lebanon in the July War: security and safety over the past 15 years,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech, adding that Hezbollah’s military strength has become a deterrent for Israeli military incursions.
In a report by Al Jazeera, Hezbollah has expanded its arsenal with rocket and missile growth from roughly 15,000 in 2006 to an estimated 130,000 rounds in 2018.
16 years later on October 7 2023 the group fired rockets into Israel killing soldiers and civilians and said it won’t stop until Israel ends its war on Gaza and Israel hit back – firing into Lebanon killing civilians along with some Hezbollah commanders and fighters.
Since then both group have carried series of attacks against the other that have left 41,595 Palestinians dead that is according to Palestinian Health ministry and 695 Israeli soldiers according to the Israeli army.
Read also: UNGA: US, several countries call for 21-day ceasefire in Israel-Lebanon border
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