Israel is intensifying its ground operations in southern Lebanon, which are aimed at dismantling Hezbollah’s military installations after a year of rocket attacks launched by the terrorist organization.
The ground operation comes after a significant strike by the IDF on Hezbollah’s underground headquarters in southern Beirut, which resulted in the death of Hassan Nasrallah, the group’s secretary-general, who had led Hezbollah for over three decades.
Nasrallah’s death marks a major blow to Hezbollah, which has been a longstanding threat to Israel’s security.
Here’s everything you need to know about Hezbollah and its connection to Iran and Hamas.
What is Hezbollah?
Amid Lebanon’s bloody civil war in the 1980s, a Shiite militia group emerged, largely inspired by Iran’s Islamic Revolution. Hezbollah, which means “Party of God” in Arabic, was funded, trained, and guided by Iran’s newly established Revolutionary Guard to fight against Israel’s occupation of southern Lebanon. After years of deadly bombings and guerrilla attacks on Israeli forces and U.S. troops in Lebanon, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000.
Hezbollah’s formation is rooted in defending Shiite rights and erasing Israel.
After Israel’s withdrawal in 2000, Hezbollah resisted calls to disarm its fighters. Instead, the group expanded its military capabilities and influence with Iran’s help, becoming widely regarded as the most powerful non-governmental terror group in the world.
Hezbollah, which is responsible for numerous bombings in Lebanon, is also behind deadly attacks on Jewish institutions in South America and Europe. The U.S., European countries, and Canada have designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization.
As its military and number of fighters grew, the group gradually expanded its political influence in Lebanon. Through its political wing, Hezbollah holds veto power in Lebanon’s government and has ministers and lawmakers in parliament. The group also operates its own network of public services, including clinics, schools and a TV station.
What is the Axis of Resistance?
Over the decades, Tehran has built a network of terrorist groups across the Middle East, known as the “Axis of Resistance,” to advance its regional interests. The network of terror groups includes Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon, several Shiite militias in Iraq and Syria, and the Houthis in Yemen. The Quds Force, the external affairs wing of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard, has long been training and providing military capabilities and financial support to these proxies in the Middle East.
Since the massacre of about 1,200 Israelis on October 7 by Hamas, Hezbollah has escalated its involvement by firing rockets into northern Israel in support of Hamas. This has forced the displacement of thousands of Israeli civilians.
Faced with attacks on multiple fronts — Gaza, Lebanon and Yemen — Israel has successfully targeted and eliminated several top Hezbollah military commanders as part of its defensive operations.
Israel and Hezbollah last fought on the ground in 2006, when Hezbollah terrorists crossed the border into Israel, abducting and killing several IDF soldiers. The ground confrontation lasted 34 days, resulting in the deaths of over 100 Israeli soldiers and 1,000 Lebanese civilians.
On Tuesday, Iran launched 180 ballistic missiles at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Nasrallah and the Hamas political leader, Ismail Haniyeh, in Tehran in July. Hours after the attack, Israel’s Prime Minister vowed retaliation against Iran.
As the region teeters on the brink of a wider conflict, the U.S. has announced it is sending thousands of troops to the Middle East amid fears that Iran, a key supporter of both Hezbollah and Hamas, could become more involved in the ongoing hostilities.
Are Hezbollah and Hamas connected?
Hezbollah and Hamas have had close relations for decades. The Lebanese terror group has housed several top Hamas leaders in the southern Beirut enclave, providing them with residences, offices and political advice. Hezbollah has also provided military training for Hamas terrorists.
However, the two groups had a turbulent relationship during the so-called Arab Spring, particularly in Syria, where Hezbollah backed the Assad regime, while Hamas supported other Sunni extremist groups fighting against the Syrian government.
When it became apparent that Assad’s regime was not going to collapse, things gradually changed. Yahya Sinwar was elected as the leader of Hamas in Gaza in 2017, and he shifted the group’s position, warming ties with Iran and Hezbollah.
Last month, Sinwar thanked Nasrallah for Hezbollah’s support in the fight against Israel.
How does Hezbollah’s leadership function?
The highest decision-making body in Hezbollah’s structure is the Shura Council, led by the group’s secretary general. Nasrallah headed the council from 1992 until his death last week.
“Structurally, the new leader will also need to focus on securing the loyalty of all ranks within Hezbollah,” said Hussain Ehsani, an independent researcher based in Ottawa who spent years in the Middle East monitoring Jihadi groups. “A key concern is that much of the allegiance shown to Nasrallah was personal, rooted in his charismatic leadership and his ability to inspire loyalty across the organization.”
The secretary general has a deputy, with Sheikh Naim Qassem currently holding the position.
According to the Council on Foreign Relations, an American think tank, the Shura Council has seven members overseen by the secretary general, along with five sub-councils: the political assembly, the jihad Assembly, the parliamentary assembly, the executive assembly and the judicial assembly.
The jihad assembly directly oversees Hezbollah’s security and military activities, including recruitment, training, equipment procurement and intelligence. According to the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Hezbollah’s External Security Organization, known as Unit 910, primarily conducts terrorist operations overseas, targeting Western and Israeli interests.
The parliamentary assembly oversees Hezbollah’s political activities in the Lebanese parliament.
The executive assembly serves as the group’s social welfare arm, managing support institutions for Hezbollah members and their families. The political assembly is responsible for managing Hezbollah’s relations with regional and international entities. In parallel to Lebanon’s judicial system, Hezbollah operates its own judical system managed by the judicial assembly.
The executive assembly, headed by Hashim Safieddine, controls the group’s day-to-day activities, including financial, welfare, education and media operations.
Who are the likely successors to Hassan Nasrallah?
There are three prominent figures considered the most likely successors to Nasrallah as secretary general.
Ehsani, the researcher, said that the Shura Council initially suggested Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek as a potential successor to Nasrallah in the event of his death, but the focus has since shifted to Hashim Safieddine.
“It is highly likely that Hezbollah could face internal divisions due to differing opinions on strategy and tactics against Israel, as well as disagreements over leadership and organizational management,” said Ehsani. “The leadership contest may exacerbate existing rifts within the group, particularly as each of the three potential leaders — Hashem Safieddine, Sheikh Mohammad Yazbek, and Sheikh Naim Qassem — represent different factions or approaches within the organization.”