What is Hezbollah and how is it linked to the Israel-Gaza war? | Start Here

Summary

Hezbollah, a Lebanese group rooted in Shia Islam, emerged in the 1980s amidst Lebanon's civil war and Iran's Islamic Revolution. It resists Israeli occupation and U.S. influence, with Iran's backing. Evolving from a militant group to a political party with parliamentary seats, it's become a powerful actor in Lebanon, providing social services and maintaining a large, undisclosed number of fighters. Its military strength and political influence have made it both a defender of Lebanon's Shia community and a contentious force within the nation's fractured political landscape.

Takeaways

• 🚩 Hezbollah is a Lebanese group with deep roots in politics and society, often more powerful and better armed than the Lebanese Army.
• 🏹 Classified as a terror group by some countries, Hezbollah sees itself as a resistance movement against US and Israeli policies.
• 🕋 The name 'Hezbollah' means 'Party of God', indicating its religious movement origins, though not all Shia Muslims in Lebanon support it.
• 🔗 Hezbollah is closely aligned with Iran, taking orders and being part of Iran's regional military structure, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corp (IRGC).
• 📈 The group's rise can be attributed to three main factors: the Shia factor in Lebanon's divided society, Iran's 1979 revolution, and Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.
• 🔧 Hezbollah's tactics have included assassinations, hostage-taking, suicide attacks, and bombings, with a shift towards political power post-civil war.
• 🏛️ Since the 1990s, Hezbollah has evolved into a political party with seats in Lebanon's Parliament and ministers in the cabinet.
• 🛡️ Despite being a political entity, Hezbollah retains a strong military wing, which it claims is necessary to fight Israel.
• 🏙️ The group is seen by some as a 'state within a state', providing social services and having significant influence in Lebanon.
• 🌐 Hezbollah's activities extend beyond Lebanon, being part of Iran's 'axis of resistance', which includes groups in Iraq, Syria, Gaza, and Yemen.

Q & A

What does Hezbollah mean and what are its various identities?

Hezbollah means 'party of God' in Arabic. It is a multifaceted organization that includes a religious movement, a political party with members in Lebanon's Parliament and ministers in the cabinet, and an armed group.

How is Hezbollah connected to Iran?

Hezbollah is closely connected to Iran and is often characterized as part of Iran's armed forces, specifically the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It receives training, funding, and weapons from Iran and serves the interests of the IRGC's Quds Force.

What are the estimated numbers of Hezbollah fighters?

Hezbollah claims to have 100,000 fighters, but the actual number is difficult to confirm. Experts suggest it could be between 20,000 and 50,000.

How did Hezbollah emerge and what factors contributed to its rise?

Hezbollah emerged during the chaos of Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s. Factors contributing to its rise include the marginalization of the Shia community in Lebanon, Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution, and Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.

What was Hezbollah's initial stance and how has it evolved?

Initially, Hezbollah defined itself as a resistance force against Israeli occupation. After the civil war, it evolved into a major power broker, establishing a political party and providing social services in areas it controls.

Why did Hezbollah keep its weapons after the end of the civil war?

Hezbollah maintained its weapons, stating the need to fight Israel and protect its interests. It has been involved in several conflicts since, including the 2006 war with Israel.

What is Hezbollah's role in Lebanon's political landscape?

Hezbollah is a powerful political actor in Lebanon, often described as a state within a state. It has ministers in the government and provides social services, but its armed status is seen as problematic by some who believe it uses its weapons for political gain.

How has Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian War impacted its standing?

Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian War to support the Iranian ally, Bashar Al-Assad, has given its fighters combat experience but also alienated some supporters who felt it was not Hezbollah's role to get involved.

What is Hezbollah's current relationship with Israel?

Hezbollah's relationship with Israel is tense and hostile. It has been involved in rocket attacks against Israel and has demanded that Israel end its war on Gaza.

What is Hezbollah's role in Iran's regional strategy?

Hezbollah is a key part of Iran's regional strategy, known as the 'axis of resistance,' which includes various groups supported by Iran to spread its influence. Hezbollah fights as a proxy for Iran, including in the Syrian conflict.

What is the current situation between Hezbollah and Israel, and the potential for a wider conflict?

The current situation is tense with exchanges of rocket fire and military actions. While a full-blown war is a possibility, both sides are cautious due to their capacity to inflict significant damage on each other.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 Hezbollah: Origins and Rise

The paragraph discusses Hezbollah, a Lebanese group that has been in the headlines due to rocket fire exchanges with Israel. It's a multifaceted organization with deep roots in Lebanese society, politics, and religion, primarily Shia Islam. Classified as a terror group by some, it's more powerfully armed than Lebanon's army. Hezbollah's name translates to 'Party of God', indicating its religious connotations, though not all Shia Muslims support it. It's politically influential with parliamentary seats and cabinet ministers. The group is secretive, with an unknown number of fighters, possibly between 20,000 to 50,000. Its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, a Shia cleric, has been leading for over 30 years. The paragraph explores Hezbollah's connection with Iran, suggesting it's part of Iran's military structure, particularly the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). It delves into the factors behind Hezbollah's emergence: the Shia marginalization in Lebanon, Iran's 1979 revolution, and Israel's 1982 invasion of Lebanon.

05:01

🚩 Hezbollah's Evolution and Influence

This section narrates Hezbollah's evolution from a militia to a significant political force in Lebanon. It started as a resistance against Israeli occupation, with the aim of eradicating Israel. Over time, it transitioned into a political party, gaining parliamentary seats and becoming a voice for Lebanon's Shia community. Hezbollah also provides social services like health and education in areas under its control. Despite its political role, it retains a significant armed presence, which has been a point of contention in Lebanon. The paragraph also covers Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian war as part of Iran's regional military strategy and how this has bolstered its military capabilities and influence in the region.

10:02

🌐 Hezbollah's Regional Role and Current Conflicts

The final paragraph examines Hezbollah's role in Iran's 'axis of resistance', a network of groups that Iran supports to extend its influence. It discusses Hezbollah's participation in the Syrian war to support the Iranian ally, Bashar Al-Assad, which led to some internal dissent but also provided combat experience. The paragraph addresses the current conflict with Israel, sparked by events in Gaza, and the potential for a broader regional conflict. It highlights the cautious approach both sides are taking due to their mutual destructive capabilities, suggesting that while a full-scale war is possible, both Hezbollah and Israel are aware of the potential for significant damage.

Keywords

💡Hezbollah

Hezbollah, meaning 'Party of God' in Arabic, is a Lebanese political party and militant group that emerged during the Lebanese civil war in response to the Israeli invasion in 1982. It has since become a significant political force in Lebanon, with members in the Parliament and Cabinet. The group is also an armed organization with a significant military wing, claiming to have up to 100,000 fighters, though estimates vary. Hezbollah is deeply connected to Iran and receives substantial support from them. It is considered a resistance movement against Israel and Western influence in the Middle East and has been involved in numerous conflicts and attacks, including a 34-day war with Israel in 2006. The group also provides social services to its supporters and has a strong presence in Lebanese society, often acting as a 'state within a state' [^10^].

💡Iran

Iran is a key ally of Hezbollah, providing significant logistical support, funding, and weapons. The connection between Hezbollah and Iran began when Hezbollah was formed during the Lebanese civil war, with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) backing the group to expand its influence in the region. Iran's support for Hezbollah is part of its broader regional strategy to counter Israel and Western interests [^10^].

💡Lebanese Civil War

The Lebanese Civil War lasted from 1975 to 1990 and was a multifaceted conflict involving various religious and political factions within Lebanon. Hezbollah emerged during this period as a response to the Israeli invasion, which occurred in 1982. The war was characterized by a power vacuum and sectarian violence, which allowed groups like Hezbollah to gain a foothold and recruit supporters [^10^].

💡Israel

Israel is a central figure in Hezbollah's narrative as an adversary. Hezbollah's formation was a direct response to Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982. Since then, the two have been involved in numerous conflicts, including a 34-day war in 2006. Hezbollah's military wing has conducted attacks against Israeli forces and interests, and the group's rhetoric often includes the goal of resisting and pushing back against Israeli policies and occupation [^10^].

💡Shia

Shia Muslims form the primary base of support for Hezbollah, which is a predominantly Shia organization. The Shia community in Lebanon has historically felt marginalized and underrepresented, which has contributed to the rise of Hezbollah as a political and military force. Hezbollah's rise is also tied to broader regional dynamics, particularly the Islamic Revolution in Iran, which is a Shia-majority country [^10^].

💡Militant Group

Hezbollah is classified as a militant group by some countries, due to its armed wing and its involvement in conflicts and attacks. It has been involved in guerrilla warfare, suicide bombings, and rocket attacks, and is known for its sophisticated military capabilities. Despite being labeled as a militant group, Hezbollah also participates in Lebanon's political process and has members in the government [^10^].

💡Resistance Movement

Hezbollah defines itself as a resistance movement against Israel and Western influence. This self-identification is rooted in its origins during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and its continued conflict with Israel. The group's resistance ideology is a core part of its identity and messaging, and it has garnered support both within Lebanon and across the Middle East for its stance [^10^].

💡Political Party

In addition to its military activities, Hezbollah is also a political party with representatives in Lebanon's Parliament and Cabinet. This dual role allows the group to influence policy and governance within Lebanon, often advancing the interests of the Shia community and maintaining a strong presence in Lebanese politics [^10^].

💡Social Services

Hezbollah is known for providing social services to its supporters and the communities it operates within. These services can include education, healthcare, and other forms of community support, which help to bolster the group's popularity and legitimacy among certain segments of the Lebanese population [^10^].

💡Axis of Resistance

The 'Axis of Resistance' is a term used to describe a network of Iran-backed militant groups in the Middle East that oppose Israel and Western influence. Hezbollah is a key component of this axis, which also includes groups like Hamas in Gaza and militias in Iraq and Syria. This network is part of Iran's strategy to project power and influence in the region [^7^].

Highlights

Hezbollah is a Lebanese group that has been in the headlines due to intense exchanges of rocket fire across the Israel-Lebanon border.

Some countries classify Hezbollah as a terror group, while it is deeply embedded in Lebanese politics and society.

Hezbollah is more powerful and better armed than the Lebanese Army itself.

The name Hezbollah means 'party of God' and it is a religious movement with members mainly from the Shia branch of Islam.

Hezbollah is also a political party with members in Lebanon's Parliament and ministers in the cabinet.

The group claims to have 100,000 fighters, but the actual number is likely between 20,000 and 50,000.

Hezbollah is secretive and its members can be found in various professions.

Hassan Nasrallah is the Shia cleric who has led Hezbollah for over 30 years.

Hezbollah is very close to Iran and takes orders from the country.

Experts characterize Hezbollah as essentially part of Iran's Armed Forces.

Hezbollah emerged during the chaos of Lebanon's civil war.

Iran's 1979 Revolution and the establishment of an Islamic Republic played a significant role in Hezbollah's rise.

Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982 was a turning point for Hezbollah's formation.

Hezbollah initially defined itself as a resistance force against Israeli occupation.

In the 1990s, Hezbollah evolved from a militia into a major power broker in Lebanon.

Hezbollah has been described as a state within a state, providing social services in areas they control.

Hezbollah's military strength is seen as both a cause and a symptom of deeper problems in Lebanon.

Hezbollah's activities and influence are not confined to Lebanon; it is part of Iran's axis of resistance.

Hezbollah's involvement in the Syrian War gave it a reason to recruit and its fighters gained combat experience.

The current conflict between Hezbollah and Israel has reignited due to the war in Gaza.

Both Israel and Hezbollah are aware of each other's capacity to cause significant damage, which may be encouraging restraint.

Transcripts

let's talk about

[Applause]

Hezbollah it's the Lebanese group that's

back in the headlines there's been an

intense exchange of Rocket fire across

the Israel Lebanon border hisa fires

across the border every day Israel is

targeting what it says are Hezbollah

cells some countries classify Hezbollah

as a terror group but it's also deeply

embedded in Lebanese politics and

Society more powerful than the state

more armed than the Lebanese Army itself

hisbah is a militant movement it defines

itself as a resistance and pushing back

against us and Israeli policies it's

also very close to Iran they take orders

from Iran so how did Hezbollah come onto

the scene what exactly is its connection

to Iran and how powerful is the group

today the name Hezbollah means party of

God now that that might make it sound

like it's a religious group but it's

actually a lot of things it is a

religious movement and its members are

mainly from the Shia branch of Islam but

not all Shia Muslims in Lebanon support

Hezbollah it's also a political party

with members in lebanon's Parliament and

ministers in the cabinet and it's an

armed group they say they've got 100,000

Fighters but it's hard to know for sure

and some experts suggest it's lower

likely between 20 and 50,000 this is a

secretive organization even within you

know party members somebody working in a

what a bank a school could be a

Hezbollah fighter and you don't know

that and this is uh one of the strengths

of Hezbollah um they tend not to show

all their cards if you like this is a

group that does not have known military

bases Hassan NASA is the Shia cleric

who's LED Hezbollah for more than 30

years he's rarely seen in person but in

areas where support for Hezbollah is

strong like in the southern suburbs of

the capital Beirut and in the south of

Lebanon His Image is everywhere and you

also see posters of Iranian leaders

because the group does not hide its

links with

Iran some experts even characterize

Hezbollah as essentially part of Iran's

Armed Forces a branch called the Islamic

revolutionary guard Corp or irgc they

are part of Iran's Regional military

structure they have Lebanese IDs but

their loyalty and their job and their

mission is to serve the interests of the

irgc's CLS force close the kuds force is

the irgc branch that's mostly focused on

foreign

operations so how did Hezbollah come

about well there are three main factors

that help explain its rise the the first

is the Shia Factor Lebanon has always

been very divided along religious and

sectarian lines along with the Shia the

other main groups are Sunny Muslims and

Christians lebanon's political system

assigns them all key positions it's

designed so that they share power but in

practice it tends to exacerbate

divisions and the Shia have often felt

that they get the worst deal and are

neglected by the government in Beirut uh

the Shia Community has long felt

marginalized on the fringes of society

in the 1970s a political and armed

movement fighting for sheer rights had

cropped up other groups were vying for

power too including the PLO the

Palestinian group that had established

itself in southern Lebanon by 1975 they

all turned on each other and a civil war

broke out the Lebanese are fighting

among themselves Muslims against

Christians and left against

right the war lasted until 1990 and it

was in the chaos of all the fighting

that Hezbollah emerged and this brings

us to our second Factor Iran and the

1979 Revolution Iran's monarchy was

overthrown and replaced by an Islamic

Republic led by Shia cleric

Rahi the revolution established Iran as

the dominant Shia power in the

regioni um saw himself and saw the

revolution something that goes beyond

Beyond Iran he he saw this as more of a

pan-islamic revolution that goes even

beyond the Shia community so Iran wanted

to spread its ideology and influence and

everything going on in Lebanon provided

an opportunity for that especially after

1982 when Israel invaded Lebanon and

this is the third factor that explains

hezbollah's rise now Israel said it was

going after the PLO remember that's the

Palestinian group that was based in

southern Lebanon and it had been

attacking Israel from there tanks roll

into Southern Lebanon the Israelis said

they had one goal to root out once and

for all Palestinian bases across the

border from their Northern

settlements Israeli forces reached all

the way to Beirut later they withdrew to

Southern Lebanon and occupied an area

there right up until 2000 the Israel

they didn't just like kick the FES out

and leave they came they stayed they

occupied

and here's where our three factors all

converge in 1982 a group of Shia in

Lebanon who were already aligned with

Iran's revolutionary ideology had come

together to fight the Israeli forces

Iran capitalized on that providing

training funding and weapons and that

group adopted a name Hezbollah Iran

invested in an organic reality you had

Lebanese Shi who suffered Decades of um

marginalization from the Lebanese state

and also we're suffering from Israeli

occupation and when we're radicalized by

the events of

1982 and hence comes a um a movement uh

to uh build on all of that from the

beginning Hezbollah mainly defined

itself as a resistance force against the

Israeli occupation in 1985 they stated

that the obliteration of Israel from

existence was one of their ultimate aims

they also said they wanted to kick out

us and French troops who were in Lebanon

as part of peacekeeping Miss

their tactics included assassinations

hostage taking suicide attacks and some

high-profile bombings like one on the US

Embassy in Beirut that killed 63

people then in the early 1990s there was

a shift for Hezbollah lebanon's Civil

War had ended and the group started to

evolve from this shadowy militia into a

major power

broker

isbah set up a political party it won

its first seats in Parliament in 1992

and eventually became a leading voice

for lebanon's Shia Community Inc comes

this party this powerful and strong

party who tells them that you know we

will protect you from the others and we

will ensure that you have a say in

government that you have a say in the

decision- making process in this country

since 2005 Hezbollah had cab ministers

running various government departments

it's also been described as a state

within a state providing all sorts of

Social Services in the areas they

control things like health education and

youth

programs they even give you know these

cards to to some of their members to get

groceries at a discount but the main

thing that sets Hezbollah apart from

other Lebanese political factions is

that it has weapons a lot of them at the

end of the Civil War hasb kept its

weapons it said it needed them to fight

Israel and it did keep fighting first

they were focused on pushing Israel out

of Southern Lebanon and got a lot of

credit when Israel finally withdrew in

2000 since then fighting has repeatedly

flared up including a war in 2006 which

lasted 34

days a big part of hezbollah's appeal in

Lebanon is based on this perception that

it is the most effective Force to stand

up to Israel but having such a strong

armed group separate from the government

is also seen as problematic his

opponents in Lebanon believe that those

arms are being used for Hasa to advance

its political interests in the country

there are many who view it as a

problematic uh player on on the Lebanese

scene I would say a good half of of the

country would see it as such another way

of looking at it is that Hezbollah is

both a cause and a symptom of even

deeper problems in Lebanon a country

with a broken sectarian political system

that allows corruption to thrive and has

kept the economy in the gutter 80% of

people now live in

poverty every time you try to deal with

the corrupt political Elite you are

always hit by hezbollah's arms that it

is protecting them take the uh Beirut

Port explosion what

the

it was a dark day in lebanon's history

August 4 2020 2 years on there's still

been no accountability for one of the

biggest non-nuclear blasts in history

not one top official has been held to

account Hezbollah is also accused of

standing in the way of the investigation

into the explosion at the Bay

Port at one point this even spilled over

into deadly fighting on the streets of

Beirut when Hezbollah supporters

protested against the lead judge

investigating the

explosion but hezbollah's activities and

influence aren't just confined to

Lebanon it's the most powerful group in

what's known as Iran's axis of

resistance this is a network of groups

that Iran supports to spread its

influence and interest in the region it

includes militias in Iraq and Syria

Hamas in Gaza and the houthis in Yemen

but they're all part of the Iranian

Regional structure military structure

this is this is how Iran Works Iran

fights America and fights Israel be

proxies and partners this helps to

explain why Hezbollah took part in the

Syrian War for example Syria's president

Bashar Al Assad is an ally of Iran and

hasbullah fought as part of an Iranian

Alliance to keep him in power that move

alienated some of hezbollah's supporters

who felt it wasn't the group's job to

get involved but the war also gave

Hezbollah a reason to recruit and its

Fighters got combat experience uh

Hezbollah has also grown its Special

Forces capabilities given its role in

the conflict in Syria so today you're

looking at a group that's really strong

militarily it has a lot of weapons a

grip on Lebanon and Iran behind it right

now it's in the spotlight because of the

war in Gaza which has reignited the

fight between Hezbollah and Israel

Hezbollah has fired Rockets into Israel

killing soldiers and civilians it says

it won't stop until Israel ends its war

on Gaza and Israel's hit back firing

into Lebanon killing civilians along

with Hezbollah Fighters and at least two

senior

commanders tens of thousands of people

living on either side of the Border have

had to leave their homes many people are

questioning whether this could all turn

into a full-blown war and a wider

regional conflict it's always a

possibility but at the same time Israel

and Hezbollah both know that the other

one has the capacity to do huge damage

and that might be encouraging them to

hold back so both sides are still

treading carefully Hezbollah does not

want a full-blown war and it can hurt

Israel it can hit anywhere in Israel it

can fire thousands of rockets a day but

Israel too can hurt

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