Kali Robinson
Introduction
Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon, where its extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network have fostered its reputation as “a state within a state.” Founded in the chaos of the fifteen-year Lebanese Civil War, the Iran-backed group is driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East.
Due to its history of carrying out terrorist attacks internationally, Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organization by the United States and many other countries, though some just apply this label to its armed wing. Hezbollah’s deep-rooted alliances with Iran and Syria have transformed it into an increasingly effective military force, creating a formidable opponent for its longtime enemy Israel. Escalating border clashes between the two adversaries now threaten to open a new battlefront in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war, which would come at great cost to economically devastated Lebanon.
How did Hezbollah originate?
Hezbollah emerged during Lebanon’s civil war, which broke out in 1975 when long-simmering discontent over the large, armed Palestinian presence in the country reached a boiling point. Various Lebanese sectarian communities held different positions on the nature of the Palestinian challenge.
No comments:
Post a Comment