Hezbollah

Hezbollah, also known as the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon, is a Shiite political and military organization that was established in 1982 with support from Iran and also has deep ties with Syria. Hezbollah’s focus is on Lebanon, and its initial primary goal was to end Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. This objective was largely achieved in 2000, forcing Israel to withdraw its troops. However, Hezbollah continued to fight and seeks to destroy Israel.

Hezbollah is not only an armed group but also a political party that has had legal recognition from the Lebanese government since its founding. However, because its policies have become increasingly extreme, its relationship with the Lebanese government has soured.

Hezbollah receives aid from foreign powers like Iran and is the main elite force in the Middle East fighting against Israel. The organization also holds considerable power in Lebanon. For decades, Hezbollah has had members in the Lebanese parliament and representatives in most Lebanese government positions. Furthermore, it is a very unique case because it wields military power even though it is not the ruling party. Over the years, Hezbollah’s military capabilities have steadily grown, and it played a key role in the Syrian civil war. It has also helped train soldiers for Syria, Iraq, and the Houthi forces in Yemen.

In addition to its armed activities, Hezbollah also runs social services such as orphanages, schools, cultural centers, clinics, and construction companies. For this reason, it has a significant reputation among the populace, but the Western world views it as a terrorist organization.