New Delhi: Israel and Hezbollah are currently embroiled in a deadly clash with both sides aiming to wreak havoc and emerge as the victor. On September 19, 2024, Israeli warplanes attacked Hezbollah targets in southern Lebanon and hit hundreds of rocket launcher barrels. According to reports, the Israeli warplanes hit around 100 rocket launchers which had around 1000 barrels. Earlier, Israel had reportedly attacked Hezbollah by using their pagers and turning them into explosives. With the conflict showing no signs of slowing down, we take a look at Hezbollah in this article.
What is Hezbollah?
Hezbollah is a militant group and a political party that first emerged during the civil war in Lebanon after Israel invaded the country in 1982. Since the 2000s, it has been one of the strongest political forces in the country. Since 1992, it has been led by Hassan Nasrallah, its Secretary-General. The group’s paramilitary wing is the Jihad Council and the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party is its political wing and represents the group in the Parliament of Lebanon. When it comes to the armed strength of the group, it is more or less like a medium-sized army.
How and why was the Hezbollah established?
When Israel invaded Lebanon in 1982, the clerics in Lebanon established Hezbollah. It was modelled on what Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the Supreme Leader of Iran laid down following the 1979 Revolution in Iran. The party got the name ‘Hezbollah’ as chosen by Khomeini.
Since the inception of the organisation, Iran and Hezbollah have shared close ties. Infact, Hezbollah was created with the help of 1,500 instructors of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of Iran. The organisation was established to defend Lebanon against the then-Israeli occupation of the southern half of the country. In 1985, when the Lebanese Civil War was going on, Hezbollah released its manifesto in which it stated its goal to expel “the Americans, the French and their allies from Lebanon”. It took part in the conflict between South Lebanon and the South Lebanon Army (SLA) and Israel Defense Forces (IDF) that went on from 1985 to 2000. They also fought against the IDF in the Lebanon War that took place in 2006.
Interestingly, Hezbollah is also a political party and has taken part in the ministry of the country. The group has grown from strength to strength both militarily and politically since 2006. As per reports, its paramilitary wing is more powerful than the Lebanese Army and the organisation is like a ‘state within a state’. It has seats in the country’s government, a satellite TV and a radio station, and is also engaged in social services and deploys fighters beyond the borders of Lebanon. Iran and Syria provide the group with military training, weapons, and financial support.
Hezbollah is a militant group and a political party that first emerged during the civil war in Lebanon after Israel invaded the country in 1982. Since the 2000s, it has been one of the strongest political forces in the country. knowledge Knowledge News, Photos and Videos on General Knowledge
