Lebanese Hezbollah: The Party of God. Hezbollah - what is it? Lebanese paramilitary organization and political party How Hezbollah is translated
In order to understand the ideology of the Hezbollah party, it is necessary, first of all, to understand in what environment it arose, what caused it to appear, what determined the nature of the organization and what its main features are. The "Party of Allah" is a centralized structure that is unique in its essence, which is based on Islamic clericalism of the Shiite persuasion.
The multi-confessional Lebanese society was a very good basis for the formation of an organization of this kind. But at the same time, it must be understood that without the influence of external factors, it would hardly have been able to hold out for a long time and become what it is at the present time. It was these external factors that largely determined the ideology of the party.
One of the main such factors was the “identity crisis” factor experienced by the Shia community in Lebanon, being one of the poorest. This community was represented by clans and clans, which were headed by zaims - clan leaders. Until the moment when the Lebanese state was formed, the Shiite community was divided into two uneven parts. The first group included large landowners from the al-Saad, al-Khalil, and al-Usayran clans. This group did not differ in size. The second group included the rest of the population - peasants who had no rights and lived in conditions of extreme poverty. It was the second group that formed the preconditions for the creation of a new force. However, the process of creating a new estate could not be carried out without preserving the traditions and religion that were transferred to the new environment. Representatives of the second group were predominantly laborers, and the confessional structure of Lebanon did not allow the creation of a class of secular workers. Even though many of them became members of secular parties, the creation of a new estate was impossible due to two factors - political structure countries and religions.
In its structure, the Shiite Lebanese community consists of numerous tribes of South Arab origin, called Yemenites. In addition, among the existing clans there are also "direct" descendants of Muhammad (the seyyid, who was highly respected and who became a kind of factor in maintaining the Shia identity).
The nationalistic ideas that swept the region in the 20th century did not bypass Lebanon either. Their development resulted in the emergence of pan-Arab parties and movements. Threats from other states, which could lead to changes in the confessional balance in the state, became one of the reasons for the emergence of the Shiite party.
Prior to the formation of Hezbollah, Imam Moussa al-Sadr had already made some attempts to institutionalize the Shia community. In particular, we are talking about the creation of the "Lebanese Resistance Unit", which included the future leaders and members of the "party of Allah" Hassan Nasrallah, Muhammad Yazbek.
In the 1970s, there were several charitable organizations in Lebanon headed by Muhammad Hussein Faddlallah, who is considered the spiritual leader of Hezbollah in the West: the Family Brotherhood Society, the Philanthropic Benevolent Brotherhood. In 1978, under very mysterious circumstances, Imam Moussa al-Sadr disappeared, which opened the way for new energetic figures in the Shiite political arena, who were no longer satisfied with the secular nature of the Lebanese Resistance Unit. At the end of the summer of 1982, the Conference of the Oppressed took place in Tehran, after which the formation of Hezbollah began, which was supposed to become a force to fight against Israel. Its creators were Abbas al-Musawi, Hasan Nasrallah, Subhi Tufeyli, Imad Mughnia, Ibrahim Amin al-Seyid, Abdel Hadi Hmade, Naim Qasim. The initiative to create the party came directly from Imam Khomeini, so all decisions were also made by him. The creation of the “Party of Allah” caused armed conflicts with other political forces and states, in particular, with the Syrian troops and the same “Lebanese Resistance Unit”.
Three years later, an “Open Letter” was drawn up, which defined the main political goal of the “party of Allah” - to introduce an “Islamic” order that should establish justice. At the same time, the very concept of justice was understood not as democracy, but as a social system, which was based on the laws of Islam and the Koran. The main idea that is reflected in the ideology of the party is the idea of martyrdom. Party members are ready to make any sacrifice, up to death, which can be compared with the worldview and religiosity of the first martyrs of Christianity.
Israel was recognized as the main official enemy of Hezbollah, which since the time of Imam Mussa al-Sadr has been referred to as “absolute evil”. And the occupation of the Lebanese territories by the Israelis became the reason that Hezbollah began to be perceived as a guerrilla resistance. And the priority direction in the activity of the party is the liberation of Palestine and the shrines of Muslims from the "Zionist entity".
Thus, it is obvious that the "Party of Allah" arose in the Middle East political arena with the aim of destroying Israel, since the existence of a Jewish state did not fit into the project of establishing Islamic justice.
The multi-confessional nature of Lebanon had a significant impact on the entry of Hezbollah into the political life of the state. As before, the priority of its activity is anti-Zionism, to which anti-Americanism has been added. The political situation that existed at that time in Lebanon required the leadership of the party to determine the main areas of activity in order to make its existence in Lebanese society legitimate. Therefore, protection from an external threat, primarily from Israel, was brought to the fore.
With significant financial support from Iran, the "party of Allah" managed to organize such a structure, which many call a "state within a state", that is, the organization is self-sufficient and able to independently provide itself with everything necessary. This structure is based on certain ideological principles, and although it exists within the state, it has no real influence on its existence and activities. In its structure, the party has its own military force - the Islamic Resistance, a construction company - the Construction Jihad Organization, which is engaged in electrification, construction and provides drinking water. In addition, the organization is the creator of numerous funds that solve the problems of the disabled, the wounded and the families of the killed martyrs.
In terms of practical functioning, the main components are polyclinics and hospitals that provide free assistance to party members, as well as inexpensive medical care for all categories of the population and inexpensive medicines. And since there is no such thing as free public health care in Lebanon, Hezbollah-owned hospitals are in high demand.
In addition, the party is also involved in education. In addition to religious specialized educational institutions, the party maintains schools, technical schools and higher educational establishments. At the same time, the expenses of the “party of Allah” are many times higher than government spending on education.
The party pays great attention to the information sphere. So, Hezbollah is the owner of a TV channel, 5 printed publications, 4 radio stations. A significant role in shaping the image of the party was played by the Al-Manar channel, which demonstrated all the achievements of Hezbollah in the fight against Israel. It became a kind of advertisement for the "party of Allah" in the Arab region.
At the same time, it would be a mistake to assert that the interests of the party are limited only to Lebanon and the struggle against Israel. Hezbollah is increasingly beginning to touch upon regional and international issues. And the message of party leader Hassan Nasrallah to the leaders of European and Arab states is evidence that the party is trying to bring its ideas to the international level as part of the confrontation with America.
The cultural strategy of the "party of Allah" should also be noted. A few years ago, a Hezbollah museum was opened, which tells the formation and existence of the party. The museum has replaced two temporary exhibitions dedicated to the achievements of the organization. The first one took place in 2006, the second two years later. And the place for the museum was chosen quite thoughtfully - the city of Mlit in southern Lebanon. It is a symbol of Israeli defeat (withdrawal of Israeli forces from southern Lebanon), which reassures visitors and gives them hope for the future.
The achievement of Hezbollah's military goals also had its own specific culture, and this is not surprising, because the party from the very beginning paid the main attention to the formation of ideology. According to Tanasis Kambanis, author of The Privilege to Die, the "party of Allah" has never been a simple armed group whose priority was military victory. In his book on the activities of the party, he talks about the first operations that had one goal - to attract allies. Both the terrorist attack on the Israeli headquarters in 1982 in Tyre, and the terrorist attack in Beirut on the American embassy in 1983 were carried out precisely with the aim of influencing the public.
Since its inception, Hezbollah has been an ideological organization, which subsequently resulted in the development of a cultural program, finally formed in 2000. Currently, the party is working with the bourgeoisie, therefore, it seeks to maintain the interest of supporters. And for this, it invests huge funds in the development of cultural and social initiatives.
But professional shade cultural policy acquired in 2004, when the Lebanese Arts Association was established. In general, the cultural strategy of Hezbollah comes down to several directions - conducting advertising campaigns that tell the history of the party, developing and implementing memorial projects - museums, tourist camps, exhibitions. Among all these projects, only the museum in Mlita has been completed, and a war memorial near the prison in Al-Khiam is under development.
Thus, such an ideology distinguishes the "party of Allah" from other Islamic formations, because the party not only seeks constant war with Israel, but also does something positive in terms of creating a better Islamic society.
At the same time, such cultural bias and social steps should in no way reduce the guilt of Hezbollah members for the numerous terrorist attacks that claimed the lives of a huge number of innocent people. And why the “party of Allah” has not yet been recognized by the European Union as a terrorist organization remains a mystery.
Materials used:
http://inosmi.ru/world/20120822/197082951.html
http://last24.info/read/2008/12/09/3/2402
http://www.middleeast.org.ua/research/livan.htm
http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D5%E5%E7%E1%EE%EB%EB%E0
Group name
Hezbollah. The group also operates under the names: Party of God, Organization of Revolutionary Justice, Organization of the Oppressed and Islamist Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine (Party of God, Revolutionary Justice Organization, Organization of the Oppressed , Islamic Jihad for the Liberation of Palestine). Under the wing of the coalition Islamist Jihad, Hezbollah brought together much of the material and people active in the 1980s. In Lebanon, the group is represented by the Islamic Resistance movement.
Threat level
Hezbollah continues to pose a fairly serious threat to Israel. Endless guerrilla attacks by Hezbollah fighters on Israeli forces occupying southern Lebanon are considered the reason Israel unilaterally withdrew from the country in May 2000. However, despite the withdrawal of Israeli troops beyond the UN-approved line coinciding with the international border and known as the Blue Line (Blue Line), Hezbollah continues to argue over the position of the small border region of Sheba Farms (Shebaa Farms), using this as a pretext for sporadic attacks on Israel and justifying the existence of the armed wing of his organization. The group claims that its military is one of the most important components of Lebanon's national defense and that it cannot be abolished as long as Israel threatens the country's sovereignty. After the withdrawal of Israeli troops, Iran and Syria again armed Hezbollah with a large number of unguided rockets. These missiles are aimed at northern Israel and are intended to act as a deterrent against future Israeli actions in Lebanon or US actions against Iran's nuclear program. In addition, Israeli intelligence accused Hezbollah of recruiting Palestinian suicide bombers operating on the West Bank of the Jordan River into the ranks of the organization. There is also reason to believe that the group has an impressive international wing, which is accused of organizing serious terrorist attacks in the 1980s and early 1990s. The alleged leader of the international branch of the group, Imad Mughniyah, is still one of the most dangerous criminals on the international wanted list.
State
date of creation
1982, however, the group officially announced its existence in February 1985.
Grouping type
Militant Islamists. Radical Shiites.
Goals and objectives
Initially, Hezbollah's goal was to create a theocracy in Lebanon led by radical Shiites and destroy Israel as a state. These goals remain the main ideological pillar of the movement, but since the end of the Lebanese civil war in October 1990, Hezbollah has evolved into a more active social and political movement. It has received legal status and a significant number of seats in the Lebanese parliament, and has also created a social service that is noticeably superior to the state's cumbersome bureaucratic system. In 2005, after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon, the movement faced an increasingly urgent demand from the state and the international community to disarm. The movement's war with Israel in July-August 2006 is likely to intensify these demands. Although the movement's involvement in the country's political life continues to grow, the Hezbollah leadership strongly resists the need to abandon the paramilitary part of the movement, which is currently the most powerful military force in Lebanon.
Group leaders
Sheikh Sobhi Toufeili, elected in November 1989, became the first secretary general of Hezbollah. He was replaced in May 1991 by Sheikh Abbas Mussawi of Nabi Sheet, Beka Valley. In February 1992, Moussavi was assassinated by Israeli forces and Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah was elected Secretary General. Despite the fact that, according to the laws of the party, the general secretary can only serve two terms, Nazrallah was re-elected four times. If Sheikh Nazrallah is killed, he is likely to be replaced by Sheikh Hisham Safieddine, who now chairs the organization's executive board. Imad Mughniyah, wanted by the United States in connection with the 1985 hijacking of the Transworld Air Lines aircraft, flying No. 847 (TWA Flight 847), and also accused more than once of involvement in other terrorist acts and in that he led the international branch of Hezbollah or the Islamist resistance movement.
Threat assessment
Despite the fact that Hezbollah still poses a significant threat to Israel, as a result of the July-August 2006 war, as well as the unfavorable political situation in Lebanon, the dissolution of the Lebanese Armed Forces and the presence of UN interim forces in the southern border areas of the country, the organization's capabilities have become weakened. Endless guerrilla attacks by Hezbollah fighters against Israel, which occupied southern Lebanon, are considered the reason why Israel unilaterally withdrew from the country in May 2000. However, despite the withdrawal of Israeli troops from the Blue Line (Blue Line), the Hezbollah group continues to argue over the position of the small border region of Sheba Farms (Shebaa Farms), using this as a pretext for sporadic attacks on Israel and justification for the existence of the armed wing of their organization.
The armed wing of Hezbollah The Islamist resistance, once considered the most well-armed non-state group in the Middle East, received a large number of unguided rockets from Iran and Syria after the withdrawal of Israeli troops. These missiles are aimed at northern Israel and are intended to deter any future Israeli action in Lebanon or US action against Iran's nuclear program. After the Hezbollah war with Israel in July-August 2006, the threat eased. At present, Hezbollah still possesses a significant stockpile of short-range Katyusha missiles and some types of missiles long range, however, the organization no longer controls Lebanon's southern border with Israel.
Since the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon in 2005, the movement has faced increasing pressure from the state and the international community to disarm its paramilitary wing. Under UN resolutions, the Islamic Resistance must be disarmed, but Hezbollah says a paramilitary wing is needed to defend Lebanon against future Israeli attacks. The Lebanese army is too weak to cope with the organization, and therefore disarmament is possible only with the consent of Hezbollah, which at present seems unlikely.
In addition, Israeli intelligence accused Hezbollah of recruiting Palestinian suicide bombers operating on the West Bank of the Jordan River into the ranks of the organization. Most of these cells are linked to the scattered al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and have agreed to accept funding from Hezbollah in exchange for committing terrorist acts against Israel. Thus, Hezbollah had a direct impact on the development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The international operations branch of Hezbollah remains a secret organization, but it has been linked to a number of terrorist attacks in the region and in Argentina. In 1992, in retaliation for the assassination of Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Abbas Moussawi, a truck-mounted suicide bomber attacked the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires. In 1994, a suicide bomber killed more than 80 people in an attack on a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires. It may have been in retaliation for an Israeli air attack a month earlier in the Beka Valley that killed more than 40 militants. Although Hezbollah denied responsibility for the two attacks, Argentine authorities issued an arrest warrant for Mugniyya and several members of the Iranian diplomatic service accused of assisting terrorists. Western intelligence services believe that Hezbollah, in the event of a threat of an attack on Iran, still has the ability to organize terrorist acts around the world.
Targets of attacks, tactics and methods used
One of Hezbollah's main goals was to expel Israel's troops from southern Lebanon. Currently, in order to achieve this goal, the organization has carried out a series of surprise attacks on Israeli troops and the armies of southern Lebanon and attacked northern Israel using Katyusha missiles.
The Islamist resistance relies on intelligence and counterintelligence and is backed by the Iranian and Syrian intelligence services, which are believed to have planted agents even within Israel's own intelligence service, allowing Hezbollah to carry out surprise attacks. The group focused its actions on undermining the morale of Israeli soldiers stationed in southern Lebanon, as well as hitting civilians in northern Israel with Katyusha missiles. This made the war in Lebanon politically unpopular.
In the 1990s, Israel carried out two major military operations against Lebanon by Hezbollah (the seven-day Operation Accountability in July 1993) and the 16-day Operation Grapes of Wrath in April 1996. Both operations were carried out after As a result of Operation Buckshot of Wrath, the April Agreement was reached, which forbade both sides from attacking civilians, but legitimized Hezbollah military operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon.
Since the Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon in May 2000, the group has continued to put pressure on Israeli forces over the disputed border area of Sheba Farms. Islamic Resistance fighters used mortars, rockets and anti-tank shells to carry out indiscriminate attacks on Israeli forces in the area and along the entire border. However, the group claimed responsibility only for the attacks in the Sheba Farms area, which was tacitly recognized as the scene of hostilities by the Islamist resistance.
The resistance has used the Blue Line as a pivotal point of retaliation for Israel's violations of Lebanese independence, attacks on Hezbollah, and a significant development of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. In October 2003, a day after the Israeli Air Force bombed an abandoned Palestinian training camp near Damascus, an IDF sniper shot and killed an Israeli Defense Forces soldier. In July 2004, a few hours after the death of one of the leaders of the Resistance in a bomb blast in Beirut, a group sniper shot and killed two soldiers of the Israeli Defense Forces. In late 2003 and early 2004, a number of improvised explosive devices were planted near the border fence by the Islamist resistance, and on January 19, 2004, when an armored IDF D-9 bulldozer passed a few meters beyond the Blue Line to defuse the improvised explosive devices of the resistance waiting his gunmen attacked the bulldozer and killed the driver. On May 28, 2006, the Islamic Resistance fired eight Katyushas at the Israeli airspace control base on Mount Meron, 14 kilometers south of the border. It was the longest-range missile attack on Israeli territory from Lebanon. The rockets were fired two days after a bomb blast in Sidon killed two members of the Islamist Jihad. In response to the almost daily Israeli Air Force overflights in Lebanese airspace, the Islamist resistance attacked Israel with 57mm anti-aircraft shells. In November 2004 and May 2005, after the Israeli Air Force began bombing resistance anti-aircraft batteries, the group sent Mirsad-1 unmanned aerial vehicles, Hezbollah's version of Iran's Mohajer-4, to Israel.
Since the September 11, 2001 attacks on the United States, American and Israeli sources have repeatedly stated that Hezbollah is connected to al-Qaeda, but Hezbollah strongly denied such claims. A post-9/11 commission report states that "al-Qaeda members received advice and training from Hezbollah" in the past, but added that "there is no evidence that Iran/Hezbollah knew about the preparations for the 9/11 attack." ". The US Treasury also accused militants associated with the recently assassinated Abu Musab al-Zarqawi of trying to connect with Hezbollah "and any other group that would allow them to illegally transport Mujahideen into Palestinian territory." However, as the number of insurgents in Iraq grew, the Sunni Jihad movement became less tolerant of Shia, and Zarqawi's network, trying to foment a sectarian war between the Shia and Sunni communities in Iraq, played a large role in this. In December 2005, Zarqawi's network claimed responsibility for the Katyusha rocket attack in northern Israel, saying it was only the beginning. Hezbollah was extremely unhappy with the attack, which was carried out from Hezbollah-controlled territory in southern Lebanon. While Hezbollah may have previously helped Iran keep an eye on Sunni extremists, such an alliance now seems almost impossible. Sunni jihad fighters have become extremely critical of Iran and its ally, Hezbollah, and their attempts to "steal" the Palestinian issue.
Armament Sources
Small arms can be easily purchased on the Lebanese black market. Most of the more sophisticated weapons, including artillery and anti-tank missiles, are supplied to the group by Iran. November 10, 2004 newspaper Al-Sharq al-Awsat (Al-SharqAl-Awsat) , published in London in Arabic, reported that a senior Iranian official admitted that Tehran had supplied Hezbollah with drones. Syria has also been directly or indirectly involved in supplying weapons to Hezbollah by allowing Iran to supply weapons through its territory.
Bases of the organization abroad
The group has bases in Iran, and may have previously been in Sudan. In addition, Hezbollah's network of charitable organizations and businesses is present in a number of cities in Western Europe and the United States. There are also suspicions that one of the organization's bases is located in an uninhabited area along part of the border between Argentina and Paraguay.
Hezbollah is accused of taking an active part in the conflict after the occupation of Iraq by the armed forces of other states under the leadership of the United States in 2003. During the 2003 Shiite uprisings in Iraq, led by Muqtada al-Sadr, there were suspicions that it was Hezbollah fighters who trained Sadr's supporters. There is currently no conclusive evidence that the organization is actively helping insurgents in Iraq, but it can be assumed that Hezbollah specialists are teaching Iraqi groups located near Iran some technical subjects, such as making explosive devices.
International support
After the end of the Lebanese Civil War in 1990 and until the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon in April 2005, Hezbollah operated within Lebanese territory under Syrian protection. Syrian power over Lebanon was given to Hezbollah and did not interfere with the organization's war against the occupation of the southern part of the country by Israel, and after May 2000 - in the war along the Blue Line. Currently, Hezbollah remains the closest ally of Damascus, and in Lebanese territory it is associated with other political movements and individuals, both Muslim and Christian, who are sympathetic to Syria and are negative about the growth of Western influence in Lebanon. Syria remains one of the most important territorial-strategic links connecting Hezbollah, Iran and acting as a conduit for the transportation of Iranian weapons to Lebanon. Despite the fact that the international community is putting increasing pressure on Damascus, urging it to close the border with Lebanon and stop the supply of weapons to the organization (this is a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701, establishing a ceasefire period between Israel, Hezbollah from August 14, 2006), cooperation with Syria is likely to remain very important to Iran's Hezbollah.
In July 2004, Hezbollah dismissed accusations by the deputy chief of mission of the US embassy in Sierra Leone that the organization was involved in transferring the proceeds of the billion-dollar West African "conflict trade" in diamonds. The group said the allegations were part of a campaign aimed more at "threatening and restricting the commercial activities of Lebanese merchants than at fighting Hezbollah."
The structure and material and technical base of the group
Organization
Hezbollah is not just a militant group, it is a political, public, charitable, commercial and educational organization. The governing body of the organization is the Council shura(Shura Council), consisting of seven members. Under the control of the Shura Council are the Council of Judges ( Judicial Council ), Parliamentary bloc ( Parliamentary bloc ), Executive Council ( Executive Council ), Politburo ( Politburo ) and the Jihad Council ( Jihad Council ). The Executive Council deals with administrative matters such as education, health, external relations and information. There are three regional groups of troops - southern, Beka and Beirut. The paramilitary branch of the organization, which includes the Islamist Resistance and Internal Security Services, reports directly to the Shura Council.
Islamist resistance is quite small, but very effective organization militants, which has a very serious autonomy. Hezbollah's network of factions abroad, known as Hezbollah International, is operated in secret.
Political/religious representation
In Lebanon, Hezbollah operates as a legal political party, running in elections and holding seats in the national parliament.
Information campaigns
The system of control, command and communication of Hezbollah is one of the most complex among all terrorist groups. Hezbollah also uses the Internet to spread its messages, and the organization's website is under constant attack by Israeli hackers.
Al-Manar's satellite television channel is one of the most popular in the Arab world. In addition, Hezbollah owns four radio stations and five newspapers and magazines, distributes literature for children and adults.
In December 2004, a French court ruled to stop broadcasting the al-Manar satellite television channel in Europe, arguing that the channel was anti-Semitic and a potential threat to public order.
Group history
General information about the military campaign
The paramilitary wing of Hezbollah has shown its strength in endless and well-planned actions against the Israeli presence in southern Lebanon. A grueling war waged by well-trained and armed, highly disciplined Islamist resistance fighters was the main reason for Israel's withdrawal from Lebanese territory in May 2000. Since the late 1990s, Hezbollah has been considered one of the most formidable opponents the Israeli military has ever faced.
Israeli sources are confident that Hezbollah used materials from Israeli and American military training manuals when training militants. For example, Hezbollah militants, equipped with new models of night vision devices and communications equipment, were able to develop tactics to combat Israeli infrared sensors.
In May 2000, after the withdrawal of Israeli forces, the Lebanese government refused to deploy its troops along the Blue Line, the border with Israel. This allowed Hezbollah's paramilitary wing of the Islamist Resistance to establish a well-coordinated military infrastructure along the border. Resistance fighters carried out sporadic raids against Israeli military forces in the disputed Sheba Farms sector, along Lebanon's southeastern border with Israel's Golan Heights. Hezbollah air defense installations also attacked an Israeli aircraft on reconnaissance flights over Lebanon.
Military preparations by Hezbollah along the Blue Line were carried out in anticipation of a serious clash with the Israeli Defense Forces. The conflict began on July 12, 2006, after a group of Islamist resistance militants kidnapped two Israeli soldiers near the border and killed eight more in subsequent skirmishes. Israel started military campaign aimed at destroying Hezbollah and freeing two kidnapped soldiers. Israel bombed the group's stronghold on the southern outskirts of Beirut, razing Hezbollah's headquarters to the ground. Vital infrastructure was hit across the country, including the Beirut airport, bridges, roads and power plants. A land, air and sea blockade was imposed on Lebanon, which led to a crisis, and about 700,000 inhabitants of southern Lebanon fled to the north of the country. Hezbollah responded by hitting Israel with over 4,000 rockets, using well-fortified emplacements or mobile rocket batteries.
The Israel Defense Forces launched several offensives across the Blue Line, but the resistance they encountered was stronger than they expected, especially in key Hezbollah strongholds such as Aitta Shaab and Bint Jbeil. Village defenders, well-versed in the area, and permanent resistance fighters armed with tactical anti-missiles (ATMs) inflicted significant damage on the enemy forces, killing many Israeli soldiers and destroying a large number of armored vehicles. The Israel Defense Forces clearly underestimated the enemy they were facing in southern Lebanon, as the group's level of experience has grown significantly since the 1990s. On August 14, the war ended without bringing any results. The advanced units of the Israeli troops reached the Litani River, which flows at a distance of 2 to 25 km from the border. However, Hezbollah troops remained in their positions and in the villages near the border.
In the Arab world, Hezbollah is considered to have emerged victorious from this war, as this group remained in its positions and did not agree to Israel's pre-war conditions for a ceasefire. However, the group's victory could be pyrrhic. A return to the pre-war status quo along the Blue Line, when Hezbollah had full tactical and strategic control over southern Lebanon, is not possible anytime soon. The resumption of hostilities along the Blue Line is politically unacceptable to the organization due to its abandonment of its elaborate bunker system and the presence in the region of some 15,000 Lebanese military and 15,000 UNTF peacekeepers in Lebanon.
In light of the post-war restrictions placed on the Islamist resistance, the organization is re-evaluating its options. Hezbollah continues to oppose Lebanese and international disarmament demands, and the organization's political strength and wise decision to form sectarian alliances provide the resistance with relative security for the moment. However, Hezbollah's stubborn desire to maintain Islamist resistance has created serious political and religious conflicts in Lebanese society, which are unlikely to disappear in the coming months, and most likely even get worse.
Timeline of major events
1982 Hezbollah was founded as a political, military and social organization as a result of the merger of the Libaniz Dawa Party (the Lebanese Dawa Party) and the Islamic Amal (Islamic Amal, Islamic Amal). Iran was behind the creation of this organization.
1983 In April, a suicide bomber blew up a car bomb in front of the US embassy in Beirut. 49 people were killed and 120 were injured. The Islamic Jihad organization claimed responsibility for the attack.
In October, an Islamic Jihad terrorist blew himself up with a car near the barracks of American and French troops in Beirut. 241 American and 56 French employees were killed.
In November, a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the headquarters of Israeli troops in Tire. As a result of this action of Islamic Jihad, 63 people died.
In December, car bombs were blown up outside the US and French embassies in Kuwait.
1984 In January, Hezbollah/Islamic Jihad militants killed the rector of the American University in Beirut.
Saudi Arabian diplomat Hussein Farrash was abducted in January and released in May 1985.
In February, Hezbollah killed a former Iranian army general and his brother, and US professor Frank Regier was also kidnapped and released two months later.
American journalist Jeremy Levin was kidnapped in March and fled in February 1985. In addition, diplomat William Buckley was abducted and killed in February 1985.
In May, US citizen Reverend Benjamin Weir was abducted, who he was released in September 1985.
In September, Hezbollah suicide bombers blew up a truck filled with explosives outside the wing of the US embassy in West Beirut. 23 people died, including two Americans. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack.
In December, terrorists hijacked Kuwait Air Flight 221 en route to Tehran. Two employees of the American Agency for International Development (Agency for International Development) were killed.
1985 In January, US citizen Father Lawrence Jenco was abducted and released in July 1986.
In March, two British citizens were kidnapped, but then released: Professor Geoffrey Nash and businessman Brian Levick. In addition, American journalist Terry Anderson (Terry Anderson) and French diplomats Marcel Fontaine (Marcel Fontaine), Danielle Perez (Danielle Perez) and Marcel Carton (Marcel Carton) were captured. Perez was soon released.
French citizens Jean Paul Kaufmann and Michel Seurat were abducted in May and killed in March 1986. American University principal David Jacobsen was abducted and released in 1986. British citizen Dennis Hill was killed.
In June, US citizen Thomas Sutherland was abducted. TWA Flight 847 bound for Athens was hijacked to Beirut and released 17 days later.
In July, Hezbollah simultaneously bombed a Northwest Orient Airlines office and a synagogue in Copenhagen, killing one person.
In December, Hezbollah terrorists organized a series of bombings in Paris.
1986 Four French journalists were kidnapped in March: Philippe Rochot, Georges Ansen (Georges Hansen) (released in June 1986), Aurel Cornea (released in December 1986) and Jean-Louis Normandin (Jean - Louis Normandin) (released November 1987).
In April, Hezbollah bombed the Stockholm office of Northwest Orient Airlines and kidnapped two Cypriot students.
In September, US citizens Frank Reed and Joseph Cicippio were kidnapped, and the French military attaché in East Beirut was killed.
In October, Edward Austin Tracy was kidnapped.
1987 In January, two German entrepreneurs Rudolf Cordes (Rudolph Cordes) and Alfred Schmidt (Alfred Schmidt), an envoy of the Anglican Church Terry Waite (Terry Waite) and American professors Jess Turner (Jesse Turner), Alan Steen (Alan Steen), Robert Polhill ( Robert Polhill) and Mitileshwar Singh (Mithileshwar Singh).
In June, American journalist Charles Glass was abducted and escaped in August 1987.
In July, Hezbollah hijacked an Air Afrique flight from Brazzaville to Paris and killed one person.
1992 In February, Hezbollah leader Sheikh Abbas Mussawi was liquidated, his wife, son and bodyguards were also killed. Moussavi's place was taken by Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah.
In March, the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires was bombed, killing 29 people. Islamic Jihad claimed responsibility for the attack, declaring that the explosion was revenge for Moussavi's death.
In September, Hezbollah took part in the Lebanese elections for the first time and won eight seats in parliament. Her parliamentary bloc also included four deputies "allied" to her.
1993 In July, due to the growing number of deaths of specialists from the International Development Fund in southern Lebanon, a seven-day military action called "Operation Accountability" was held against Hezbollah. The operation ended with an informal agreement that both sides would refrain from attacking civilians.
1994 In July, there were a number of terrorist attacks that Hezbollah was believed to be involved in: the bombing of the Amia Building, a Jewish cultural center in Buenos Aires, as well as bombings at the Israeli Embassy in London and the Jewish Center in north London.
1996 In April, Israel launched its second military operation against Hezbollah in three years. During Operation Grapes of Wrath, more than 160 Lebanese were killed, but the Israeli army failed to suppress Hezbollah's Katyusha fire. The operation ended with the conclusion between the parties of the April Agreement, which officially recorded the agreement reached in 1993 not to involve civilians in the confrontation.
1997 In September, Israel sent a commando unit to southern Lebanon to fight Hezbollah units. A detachment of Israeli soldiers was ambushed by Amal Hezbollah fighters, as a result of which 12 out of 16 soldiers were killed and four were wounded. It was the largest loss suffered by the Israeli army in a single day since 1985.
In September, in southern Lebanon, the eighteen-year-old son of Sheikh Hassan Nazrallah Hadi Nasrallah was killed in a clash with Israeli soldiers. Nazrallah called on Lebanese of all faiths to join the Lebanese Resistance Brigades, a multi-faith resistance army trained and led by Hezbollah.
1998 In January, former Hezbollah leader Sheikh Sobhi Toufeili held a ceremony in Baalbek in honor of international day Jerusalem, in order to emphasize the claim of Islam to the possession of the city. The ceremony was seen as a direct threat to the incumbent leadership of Hezbollah, which Tufayli accused of being "too soft". Sheikh Nazrallah responded to the accusation by expelling Tufeyli from the organization. In late January, Tufeili's supporters captured the Hezbollah school in Baalbek and the Lebanese army helped recapture it, but Tufeili's followers vowed revenge.
1999 In February, the Islamic Resistance staged a car bomb that killed the commander of Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, General Erez Gerstein.
In June, under the influence of the ongoing attacks of the Islamic Resistance, the army of South Lebanon, under the cover of Israeli troops, left the enclave of Jezzine (Jezzine) on the northern border of the Israeli occupation zone. This was the first significant change to the zone's boundaries since 1985.
In response to attacks by Hezbollah in June, the Israeli government of the Likud party, before resigning, ordered the bombing of a number of targets in Lebanese territory, including two power plants on the outskirts of Beirut and bridges.
2000 In January, the Islamic Resistance blew up the car of Aql Hashem, a member of the South Lebanese army command. Hashem died.
In February, the Islamic Resistance fired anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military camp. In three weeks, seven servicemen were killed. Israel retaliated by attacking Lebanese infrastructure and withdrew from the five-party monitoring group that oversees compliance with the April 1996 agreement.
In May, Israel withdrew troops from its occupation zone in southern Lebanon. Thus ended Israel's 22-year military presence on Lebanese soil. In his triumphant speech, Sheikh Hassan Nazrallah declared that Israel was "fragile as a cobweb" and urged the Palestinians to follow the example of Hezbollah and start fighting against the Israeli occupation.
In August, the Lebanese government sent 1,000 soldiers into South Lebanon but refused to deploy troops along the Blue Line.
In October, the Islamic Resistance abducted three Israeli soldiers from Shebaa Farms. With this action began a series of episodic attacks on the location of the Israeli army in the occupied mountainous areas.
2001 In April, Israeli aircraft attacked Syrian positions and destroyed a radar station at the Dar al-Baidar pass in the mountains between Beirut and Beka in response to an Islamic Resistance attack on the Shebaa Farms.
In July, Israeli aircraft destroyed a radar station at Serrein et-Tahte in the Bekaa in response to an Islamic Resistance attack on the Shebaa Farms.
In November, the Lebanese government denied a US demand to freeze Hezbollah's counter-terrorism accounts, arguing that Hezbollah was a legal resistance organization.
In December, Hezbollah's external security unit was designated a terrorist organization by the European Union.
2002 Israeli Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said in February that Hezbollah had received 8,000 missiles from Iran over the past six months.
In March, two Islamic Jihad militants secretly crossed the border and killed five Israeli civilians and one soldier near Metsuwa in northern Israel. This operation was almost certainly planned and directed by Hezbollah.
In March-April, Hezbollah responded to Israel's invasion of the West Bank by intensifying mortar and rocket attacks on Israeli positions in the Shebaa Farms. Israel responded by attacking Hezbollah installations with artillery and from the air.
In September, several people were arrested in Israel on suspicion of spying for Hezbollah, including a lieutenant colonel in the Israeli army.
2003 In August, a member of the high command of the Islamic Resistance, Ali Hassan Saleh, was killed in a car bomb in Beirut.
In October, after an Israeli air strike on the Ain Sahab camp in Syria, the situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border escalated. In one of the clashes on the border, after two months of relative calm, the first Israeli soldier was killed.
In November, the Israeli government agreed to a prisoner exchange with Hezbollah in order to return Elhanan Tannenbaum and the bodies of three soldiers captured in 2000. Hezbollah agreed to the exchange only on the condition that the Lebanese Samir Qantar be among the prisoners of war returned to it. At the same time, the leadership of Hezbollah warned Israel that the disruption of the exchange would lead to an escalation of the conflict and new kidnappings.
2004 In January, the driver of an armored Israeli D-9 bulldozer clearing mines along the Blue Line was killed by an Islamic Resistance anti-tank missile.
In February, a prisoner exchange was successfully completed between the Israeli government of Hezbollah.
In March, Hezbollah fired rockets and mines at Israeli positions on the Shebaa Farms in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas leader Sheikh Ahmed Yassin. Israel responded with a series of air strikes.
In May, Islamic Resistance fighters ambushed and killed an Israeli special forces soldier in the Shebaa Farms sector.
In July, IR commander Ghaleb Awali, who was in charge of liaison with Palestinian factions, was killed in a car bombing in Beirut. A day later, two Israeli soldiers were shot dead by an Islamic Resistance sniper.
In November, Hezbollah carried out the first successful launch unmanned aerial vehicle over Israeli territory, bypassing the Israeli air defense system. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah said that his organization has the ability to manufacture UAVs and that Hezbollah's model can carry up to 40 kg of explosives.
2005 In January, Hezbollah attacked the Shebaa Farms, killing one Israeli soldier and wounding two. Apparently, the soldiers were killed by the detonation of an improvised explosive device that blew up their car. In response, Israel bombed suspected Hezbollah positions, and the group later confirmed the death of one of the militants. A few hours after the skirmish ended, a French UN observer was killed by an Israeli tank crew.
2006 JulyHezbollah caused a crisis
in the region, making a sortie into Israel, during which eight Israeli soldiers were killed and two were kidnapped. Israel launched a massive bombing strike against Hezbollah-owned facilities in southern Lebanon and Beirut. In addition, air strikes were carried out on the Lebanese infrastructure in general and led to significant losses among the civilian population. In response, Hezbollah launched a rocket attack on northern Israel, which also killed several civilians. Defeated in an attempt to destroy Hezbollah rocket launchers from the air, Israeli forces launched a series of sorties into southern Lebanon, but faced fierce resistance from well-trained Hezbollah forces.
Hezbollah (Hezbollah; from the Arabic "Hezb-i-Allah" - "Party of Allah") is a Lebanese Shiite movement. It was founded in the late 1970s by Shia priests with the assistance of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards. The bases of the organization are located in the Shiite part of Beirut, the Bekaa Valley, South Lebanon.
The governing body of the party is the Supreme Consultative Council (VKS), consisting of 12 religious, political and military figures. Each region of the country has its own Advisory Council.
Hezbollah seeks to form an Islamic republic in Lebanon along the Iranian lines.
In its current form, the Hezbollah movement took shape in 1982 during the Israeli military operation in Lebanon.
The first leader was the Lebanese Sheikh Seyyid Mohammed Hussein Fadlallah. In 1985, after the assassination attempt, he left all posts in the organization, remaining only a spiritual leader.
He was succeeded by Abbas al-Musavi, who was killed by Israeli intelligence in 1992.
In 1992, the Shiite group Hezbollah, which is very popular in the Arab world, 49-year-old Hassan Nasrullah.
The main goal of Hezbollah's activities in the 1980s and 1990s was the expulsion of Israeli and Western military forces from Lebanon. The armed detachments of the "Islamic Resistance" created by her widely resorted to the tactics of guerrilla warfare and terrorist actions.
Starting in the 1990s, Hezbollah began to gradually transform into a political organization. In 1992, the Hezbollah military unit became a separate structure, not formally associated with the organization. With this leadership, the movement strengthened the political status of the organization.
In June 2000, after the withdrawal of Israeli troops from Lebanon, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan met in Lebanon with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrullah, which was regarded by some media as de facto recognition by the international community of the legitimacy of the organization.
By the early 2000s, Hezbollah's initially hardline ideological stance softened somewhat, and in a 2003 political platform, the organization emphasized that it advocated the establishment of Islamic rule by peaceful democratic means.
In January 2004, Hezbollah and Israel agreed to exchange prisoners (510 Palestinians, Lebanese and other Arabs were exchanged for the bodies of three Israeli soldiers killed in 2000 in Shebaa, and two Israelis abducted in 2001).
In the summer of 2006 between the militants of the group and Israel. The war began after Hezbollah militants captured two Israeli soldiers.
In contemporary Lebanon, Hezbollah operates as a political organization. Its civilian branch has its own hospitals, hospitals, orphanages, orphanages, the Al-Manar television station, the Al-Nur radio station and print publications. She enjoys considerable influence in the Shiite regions of the country, since 1992 she has been participating in parliamentary elections. joint list from Hezbollah and another Shiite party, Amal, received in 2005 in the elections to the Lebanese parliament all 23 seats from the Beka Valley and South Lebanon.
Bahrain became the first Arab state, officially.
Hezbollah in the US, the Netherlands, Canada, Israel, Australia and Egypt.
In mid-June 2013, the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) stated that it was against members of the Lebanese Shiite movement Hezbollah, which would affect the issue of granting residence permits to members of the movement, as well as their financial and commercial operations. One of the reasons for this decision was the participation of Hezbollah supporters in the armed conflict in Syria.
On July 22, the military wing of the Shiite movement Hezbollah was the foreign minister of the EU countries.
Adding Hezbollah to the terrorist list. The issue of including the movement on the list of terrorist organizations by the EU countries was raised in March 2013 following an investigation into the terrorist attack in the Bulgarian city of Burgas.
The material was prepared on the basis of information from RIA Novosti and open sources
Many people today, watching the events taking place in the world from TV screens, do not always understand what is at stake. For example, journalists often pronounce the name Hezbollah. What kind of organization, however, they do not always mention. Therefore, the viewers have a not entirely correct idea of the events taking place in the East Asian region of Eurasia.
We will try to understand this issue and consider in detail the essence and history of the origin of Hezbollah.
Name and main essence of the organization
Hezbollah is a Shiite paramilitary group based in Lebanon.
Translated from Arabic, its name tells us that this is a kind of “party of Allah” (based on a line from the Koran, which provides evidence that those who are in the party of Allah will defeat their enemies).
This political and religious movement has as its main goal the victory of the Shiite direction of Islam and the creation of a territory similar to Iran. This ideology was formulated in the writings of Ruhollah Khomeini, who led the Shia revolution in Iran in the last century.
History of the organization
Hezbollah was founded in 1982 and is now 33 years old. The organization "Guardians of the Islamic Revolution" helped to create it. Both anti-American and anti-Israeli sentiments were very strong in this region at that time.
For the first time as a political organization, Hezbollah took part in the 1992 elections. Then she managed to get a large number of seats in the local parliament. It first showed its strength in 2000, when it took control of southern Lebanon, taking the place of the pro-Western Lebanese army and pushing it back.
Thanks to its active work and the support of the Shiite population, Hezbollah was able to take its weighty place in the political arena of the Lebanese state.
Tensions remain between Hezbollah and the State of Israel. Both see each other as political opponents and openly feud with each other, which is manifested in skirmishes between Hezbollah troops and Israeli government forces.
This organization had 4 religious leaders. At the moment (since 1992) this post is held by Hassan Nasrallah.
Attitude towards this organization in the world
In some states of the Western world, this organization is considered a terrorist organization (we are talking about the USA, Britain, Australia and Canada). Also, the Hezbollah group is recognized as a terrorist group in Israel and the Persian Gulf countries, which are allies of the Anglo-Saxons.
Such an attitude is understandable if we consider it from the point of view of the interests of these states. The fact is that if the leaders of Hezbollah achieve their goals, this will strengthen the positions of the Shiites in the Middle East region and weaken the influence of the Western countries on this region. In addition, members of this group proclaim one of their goals to strengthen the sovereignty of the state and expel foreign capital and foreign companies from Lebanon.
Hezbollah enjoys the support of Iran and Syria. The forces of this organization are fighting, supporting the government forces of President B. Assad.
Evaluations of the organization's performance
For those who know about the activities of the Hezbollah organization, what kind of movement it is is quite clear. Of course, the understanding of this issue depends on the ideological attitude of people. Therefore, some consider this group a liberation movement, while others declare it a terrorist organization.
Hence such different assessments of the activities of Hezbollah, which are present in the media of different countries.
As for Russia, the Lebanese Hezbollah is not considered a terrorist organization in our country. Unlike the countries of the Western world, the Russian Federation does not seek to interfere in the affairs of the Shiite-Sunni conflict (although our country is mostly populated by Sunni Muslims). The official position of the Russian Foreign Ministry is that Hezbollah is a legitimate political force in Lebanon, whose members are represented in parliament.
There are different attitudes towards this political force. For example, in Egypt it is viewed not just as an undesirable group, but as a terrorist force. Therefore, the leader of Hezbollah was put on the international wanted list by the Egyptian authorities.
Organizational and military structure of Hezbollah
Today, this organization has a clear and well-coordinated system of relations. It is based (as is customary among the Shiites) on the supremacy of religious leaders.
Hezbollah, according to the data, has 10 thousand soldiers, some of which are in reserve. This group has enough weapons that can cause significant damage to Israel (up to missile strikes on this state).
Understanding the meaning of the movement in Western media
The modern Western press writes a lot about the Hezbollah movement. What does it give readers of these countries? Most likely, the information inspires fear of this movement.
So, most often it is said that the purpose of this group is to export the Islamic revolution to the country of the West. It is emphasized that the leaders of the organization breathe hatred for America and satellite countries. The terrorist essence of Hezbollah is pointed out, the number of its militants in the countries of the East, ready to fight with the civilian population of European countries.
In general, the Western media portrays a purely negative image of this movement.
Own media
Members of Hezbollah attach great importance to the work of the propaganda department in their activities. Therefore, they have a network of their own media. Among them are the Mayak satellite TV channel (Almanar in Arabic) and the Svet (Alnur) radio station.
In a number of Western countries, the broadcasting of this TV channel and radio station is banned. In addition, members of this organization are trying to attract young people through active social media, videos, propaganda speeches, and even through the creation of special computer games in which the heroes fight and defeat the Israelis, gaining eternal heavenly bliss.
Hezbollah: what is it in the modern world
The role of this organization in the modern world is twofold. On the one hand, this group is fighting between the Sunni and Shiite Muslim worlds, on the other hand, it was born against the backdrop of anti-Israeli and anti-American sentiments in Eastern society, and on the third hand, it is only a tool in the political struggle of various groups in the Middle East.
Now this organization has clearly shown itself thanks to its participation in taking a position of support for B. Assad and his troops against ISIS, Hezbollah unwittingly turned out to be on the side of the Syrian people in their struggle for liberation from terrorists.
The Hezbollah movement today is not only gaining combat experience, but also attracting to its side all those who oppose the rule of ISIS. Although this movement often does not suit many politicians in the modern world, it has its own stable platform and opportunities for growth.
In any case, Hezbollah is one of the forces in the Arab world that advocates the independence of the states of the East from the developed countries of the planet, a force that the West has to partly reckon with.
Hezbollah's activities in Syria have caused serious concern on the other side of the southern border of Lebanon, in Israel. The Israeli security forces fear that Hezbollah may come out of this conflict more capable, more resilient and better armed for any future confrontation with Israel.
In the years leading up to its involvement in the war in Syria, Hezbollah focused on internal affairs, including military confrontation with other groups in Lebanon, as well as its ongoing conflict with Israel. Since its inception in the early 1980s, Hezbollah's primary goals have been to turn Lebanon into an Islamic state and fight against Israeli and Western influence in the region.
Through its success in military and civilian endeavors, Hezbollah rose to prominence in Lebanon. Hezbollah provides schools, clinics and welfare programs to its constituents. As a consequence, this group remains influential throughout Lebanon, despite geographic isolation, to a large extent in the south and northeast regions, where the Shiites are dominant and where they have established a "state within a state."
The military wing of Hezbollah has repeatedly disbanded, remaining only a militia or a terrorist organization. But despite these limitations, it has proven to be a disciplined and effective fighting force. It was Hezbollah that finally forced Israel to withdraw from South Lebanon in 2000 after 22 years of occupation. And when Israel re-invaded Lebanon in 2006 following Hezbollah's cross-border attacks, the IDF faced far more resistance from the militias than anyone expected.
An Israeli soldier who returned from a clash with Hezbollah in 2006 said The New York Times that the Shiite fighters were well trained. “We were all very surprised,” the soldier said. The Israel Defense Forces were also shocked when they discovered that Hezbollah soldiers were equipped with advanced weaponry, bulletproof vests and night vision goggles. But what shocked the Israeli military even more was how skillfully Hezbollah fighters handled anti-tank missiles.
“When Israel finally agreed to a ceasefire and began to withdraw troops from the border area, it left behind 40 armored vehicles, almost all of which were destroyed by professionally deployed Malyutka anti-tank missile systems (AT-3 “Sagger” according to NATO classification) ”, wrote Alistair Crook and Mark Perry on CounterPunch. In three weeks of fighting, Israel lost 119 soldiers.
Hezbollah suffered significantly higher losses in 2006, with an estimated 250 to 500 fighters killed. Israeli bombs and rockets also killed up to 1,000 Lebanese civilians. While Hezbollah attacks on Israel killed 42 civilians. However, the fact that Hezbollah stood up to Israel's overwhelming might with only a few thousand fighters earned the militias in Lebanon widespread acclaim. Its ranks and treasury swelled.
By the time Hezbollah entered the Syrian war in 2013, it was more powerful than ever. "The movement's military structure is based on an elite force supported by a full-time militias and a large corps of part-time reservists who receive rudimentary marksmanship training - often in Iran - but have jobs outside the group," one analyst told Reuters. “Overall, the total strength of the force, including the underemployed known as Saraya, has reached 50,000, of which 10,000 to 15,000 are elite forces.”
2006 The Israel Defense Forces leave Lebanon. Photo from Wikipedia
Despite their newfound power, their desire to support their patron in Syria and prevent them from gaining control of their neighbor, the Islamic State, the decision to get involved in the conflict was not an easy one for Hezbollah's commanders. Back in 2012, there were rumors that Hezbollah soldiers were covertly training and supporting the Assad regime. However, Hezbollah denied any direct military involvement in Syria until its announcement in 2013.
But as the fighting in Syria escalated, so did Hezbollah's mission there. Nearly 8,000 Hezbollah fighters are fighting on Syrian soil today, probably twice as many as fought against Israel in 2006. This may indicate a significant increase in Hezbollah's military capabilities.
One of Israel's biggest worries is that Hezbollah is training and fighting alongside Syrian government forces, as well as Russian and Iranian forces, even playing a leading role in some clashes. In the Battle of Qusayr, after a three-week siege, Hezbollah soldiers recaptured the strategically important border town from the Free Syrian Army. One reviewer called the skirmish "the defining battle of the civil war in this country".
Among Israel's noteworthy concerns are the expertise that Hezbollah gains from fighting alongside Russian advisers in Syria. “For the first time in Hezbollah’s history, Hezbollah is conducting offensive warfare as part of its operation in Syria,” wrote Nadai Pollack and IDF Brigadier General Mouni Katz in a December report from the Washington Institute, “Russian intervention only reinforces this experience, likely teaching this group important lessons for future conflicts.
“Hezbollah in Syria had to shift its primary mission to seizing and maintaining control over territory, all while fighting quasi-conventional military forces using guerrilla tactics,” the report continues. “Against the Israel Defense Forces, the group used to fight in small formations in familiar territory, but now it deploys hundreds of fighters in complex offensive operations in unfamiliar territory. Such an experience for Hezbollah commanders and fighters could change their perspective on the most effective ways win the battle, and the Russian intervention means they are learning these lessons from one of the best armies in the world."
The report concludes that the experience Hezbollah is gaining from Russia and Iran has made it one of the most effective military units in the tangled Syrian conflict. Hezbollah fighters are getting so good that they are reportedly growing frustrated with what they see as the flawed Syrian army.
2006 An Israel Defense Forces soldier throws a grenade into a Hezbollah bunker.
When it comes to taking action against the Hezbollah forces embedded in Russian and Iranian forces, Israel is somewhat helpless, as doing so could exacerbate an already sensitive international balance. But the Israeli Air Force has undoubtedly held back alleged arms shipments to the Hezbollah contingent in Syria.
"Since January 2013, Israel has carried out strikes on arms supplies to Syria eight times, hitting Iranian Fateh-110 cruise missiles, SA-8 and SA-17 anti-aircraft missiles, and Yakhont anti-ship missiles," it said. Al Jazeera. “In each case, the weapons were unofficially destined for the Lebanese organization Hezbollah, an Iranian-backed Shiite group.”
“One of the bombing raids targeted an airstrip in the Lebanese Bekaa Valley, which, according to Israel, was stationed with drones. The group's UAVs also underline the technical development of this organization, with its growing arsenal of guided missiles, and the challenges it poses for Israel in a future war,” emphasizes Al Jazeera.
Despite Israel's attempts to prevent Syrian weapons from falling into the hands of Hezbollah, there have been reports that the Assad regime secretly smuggled some long-range guided missiles and other weapons into the formation. Most importantly, the United States and others believe that Hezbollah currently has up to 12 Yakhont anti-ship missiles at its disposal, in addition to its massive stockpile of military equipment. "Experts agree that today Hezbollah has an arsenal of approximately 100,000 rockets and projectiles, many of which are capable of striking deep into Israel," it said. foreign policy.
This is a significantly higher number of missiles of much better quality than those Hezbollah possessed during the 2006 war. “We need to prepare for the possibility of a “blitz” that could lead to the launch of 1,000-1,500 missiles a day into Israel,” he said. haaretz Major General of the Israel Defense Forces Eyal Eisenberg.
Understandably, Israel now sees Hezbollah as one of the biggest military threats to the Jewish state. If Hezbollah emerges from the Syrian war unscathed, it will be a stronger, battle-hardened military unit with a solid supply of missiles. Israel will continue to prevail militarily in many respects, but any future conflict between the two powers could prove to be much more expensive for the Jewish state - both in money and in shed blood - compared to previous clashes.
