Hezbollah is a Shiite political and military movement in Lebanon, established to defend the Lebanese people against the Zionist regime.

The Hezbollah movement emerged in the early 1980s in Lebanon. Its initial core consisted of Islamists, members of the Islamic Dawa Party, some Amal Movement officials, Fatah Movement members, and individuals from other Lebanese parties. Hezbollah emerged largely in response to Lebanon’ s deep social and political crises— shaped by the state’ s military weakness, an unresolved national identity, and a crisis of legitimacy intensified by the Israeli occupation.⁠[1]

Hezbollah was founded by Lebanese Shiites, including Sheikh Sobhi al-Tufayli, Seyyed Hussain Mousavi, Seyyed Abbas Mousavi, Ibrahim Amin, and Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah. Hezbollah’ s formation was deeply influenced and inspired by the Islamic Revolution of Iran. All of those figures shared two fundamental points of agreement:

1. Belief in the divine guardianship of the jurist (Velayat-e Faqih) and following the leader of the Islamic Revolution of Iran;

2. Confrontation with Israel.

Drawing on the experiences and successes of the Islamic Revolution of Iran, they sought to create a new organization to achieve their goals.⁠[2] These factors led the scattered forces to merge into a single, new structure. Through its ambassador in Damascus (Hojatoleslam Ali-Akbar Mohtashamipour) and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces stationed in Baalbek, Iran organized meetings and negotiations among these Islamist cadres. After initial discussions, a nine-member committee was tasked with laying the foundation for a new political formation among the various Islamic currents, based on commitment to Velayat-e Faqih and the fight against Israel. This coalition, initially known as the “ Lebanon Council”, was renamed “ Hezbollah of the Islamic Revolution of Lebanon” in May 1984 and later became globally recognized as “ Hezbollah of Lebanon”.⁠[3]

Ahmad Motevaselian, commander of the 27th Muhammad Rasulullah (pbuh) Division during the Iran-Iraq War, was one of the most prominent Iranian military figures present in Lebanon during Hezbollah’ s formation. Following the Zionist regime’ s invasion of Lebanon on June 5, 1982, Ahmad Motevaselian arrived in Lebanon with 500 IRGC personnel to help the Lebanese popular resistance forces. Although the dispatched Iranian units could not carry out any direct military operations against Israel, their presence helped form the nuclei of resistance. Haj Ahmad Motevaselian held two strategic meetings with leaders of Lebanese Shiite revolutionary groups from the time he set foot in Syria until his abduction.⁠[4] In addition to Haj Ahmad, Haj Muhammad-Ebrahim Hemmat, Akbar Hajipour, and several officials from the Iranian embassy in Beirut were also attending these meetings. In one meeting, Haj Ahmad emphasized unity and unified command among Shiite groups and proposed naming the formation “ Hezbollah”. Then, with the signing of the meeting minutes, Hezbollah of Lebanon was born.⁠[5]

During a meeting with Imam Khomeini (ra) in Tehran, the founding members of Hezbollah presented their views, which he approved.⁠[6] This marked the beginning of the official relationship between Hezbollah and Iran, which continued under the leadership of Ayatollah Khamenei as well. Hezbollah officials have repeatedly drawn on the guidance of the Leader of the Revolution at key historical moments, including the Lebanese Civil War⁠[7] and the 33-Day War.⁠[8]

By empowering and investing in Hezbollah, Iran has expanded its strategic depth and uses the movement as a key deterrent against Israel.⁠[9]

In the international community, Hezbollah— like other groups and organizations— has both opponents and supporters. Iran and Syria (during the Assad era) are the most important countries with ideological and intellectual ties to Hezbollah. Russia maintains the most significant strategic relations with the group. In contrast, the United States, the Arab League, and the (Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council have designated Hezbollah— or its military wing— as a terrorist organization.⁠[10]

Confronting Israel’ s state violence, cooperating with Iran against Takfiri groups, and defending the rights of the Lebanese people, together with its broad acceptance within Lebanese society, both Shiite and non‑Shiite, demonstrate the credibility of Hezbollah’ s positions and actions, while simultaneously refuting the claims presented by its opponents. Within Lebanon, Hezbollah’ s approach was mainly military-focused until 1989, and it maintained tense relations with the central government. Afterward, during the 1992 parliamentary elections, it formed alliances with certain groups. Hezbollah candidates ran on joint lists with Amal Movement, Communist Party, Syrian Social Nationalist Party, and Baath Party candidates; twelve of them won seats in parliament. Hezbollah participated in municipal and village council elections (funded by the Lebanese government) in 1998 and won the elections. Through this participation, the group entered the executive branch and moved closer to its goals.⁠[11] Today, Hezbollah is simultaneously engaged in political and military activities, and its relationship with the Lebanese government is based on mutual cooperation.

Hezbollah also provides significant social services, such as allocating half of its budget to rebuilding war-damaged areas after the 33-Day War with the Zionist regime, and offering to resolve national crises like the 2015 garbage crisis. This positioned the group as a genuine protector of Lebanon’ s national interests, concerned not only with the Shiites of the south but committed to the unity of all Lebanese people. Such policies and actions have earned Hezbollah acceptance and support across various Lebanese communities.⁠[12]

The founders of Hezbollah initially selected a “ Leadership Council” whose members were chosen through consultation with other councils and key cadres. Over time, however, the structure and selection process of the Leadership Council changed. The council’ s membership increased to nine, of whom one person was elected Secretary-General. In its first four years, the council chose Sheikh Sobhi al-Tufayli as Hezbollah’ s first Secretary-General. After his removal, the council elected Seyyed Abbas Mousavi as Secretary-General. Following Seyyed Abbas Mousavi’ s martyrdom, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah was selected. He was re-elected at the third Hezbollah congress in mid-May 1993. At that congress, the party’ s charter was amended to allow the Secretary-General to serve more than two terms. From then until his martyrdom, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah held the position of Secretary-General. He was elected to the post for the seventh time. At the third congress, the Leadership Council membership was reduced from nine to seven: Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah, Sheikh Naim Qassem, Sheikh Muhammad Yazbek, Seyyed Hashem Safieddine, Hussain al-Khalil, Muhammad Raad, and Abdullah Qasir.⁠[13]

In 2000, after Israel’ s defeat by Hezbollah, the group, which previously lacked a formal annual program and cohesive organizational structure, underwent significant development in its military, security, and human resources capacities, leading to profound internal transformations.⁠[14]

Since Hezbollah’ s formation coincided with the Iran-Iraq War, the group did not have direct military involvement in that conflict. However, because Iraq sought to weaken Syria— Iran’ s main ally— by strengthening anti-Iranian and anti-Hezbollah military groups, part of Hezbollah’ s military capacity was devoted to countering those groups.⁠[15]

One of Hezbollah’ s most prominent figures was Seyyed Abbas Mousavi (a founding member and second Secretary-General). He assumed the Secretary-General position in 1991 after Sobhi al-Tufayli and was martyred nine months later on February 16, 1992, in an Israeli helicopter attack on the vehicle carrying him and his companions.⁠[16]

Another key figure is Sheikh Sobhi al-Tufayli, Hezbollah’ s first Secretary-General (1989– 1991), who was later removed due to disagreements with the Leadership Council. Al-Tufayli has since become a critic of Hezbollah of Lebanon and the Islamic Republic of Iran.⁠[17]

Hezbollah has engaged in several military confrontations with the Zionist regime, the most important of which were Ahmad Qasir’ s self-sacrifice operation, the forced withdrawal of the Israeli army in 2000, its heavy defeat in 2006,⁠[18] and the liberation of Lebanese and Palestinian prisoners held in Zionist regime jails in 1991, 1996, 2000, 2004, and 2007.⁠[19]

Since its formation, many members of Hezbollah have been martyred in its military confrontations with the Zionist regime and other terrorist groups. The most prominent martyred military commander of Hezbollah was Imad Mughniyeh, known as Haj Ridwan. He was responsible for protecting high-ranking officials and overseeing special operations,⁠[20] and served as Hezbollah’ s field commander during the 33-Day War. Haj Ridwan was martyred on February 12, 2008, in a car bombing carried out by Israel.⁠[21]

Ahmad Jaafar Qasir is another iconic Hezbollah martyr. On November 11, 1982, he carried out a self-sacrifice operation against an Israeli military building in Tyre, killing more than 151 Israeli officers and soldiers before being martyred himself. Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah designated the date of this operation as Martyrs’ Day and gave him the title of “ Amir al-Esteshhadiyun” (the leader of those who seek martyrdom).⁠[22]

On October 8, 2023, one day after Hamas began Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, Hezbollah launched attacks on northern occupied Palestine to reduce military pressure on the Gaza front. This forced the Zionist regime to deploy 30 percent of its forces in northern occupied Palestine.⁠[23] During Hezbollah’ s participation in Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, the Zionist regime, seeking to compensate for its intelligence and military failures on the battlefield, resorted to assassinating Hezbollah commanders and officials. Among the most prominent were Ibrahim Aqil (a key military leader in the fight against ISIS), Ahmad Wahbi (commander of Hezbollah’ s military training unit), Ibrahim Qubaisi (commander of the Badr unit and missile/mortar systems), Muhammad-Hussain Sarvar (commander of drone unit), Muhammad Nasser (a commander in the Radwan unit), Fouad Shukr (a military commander and senior advisor to Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah), Sami Taleb Abdullah (commander of the Nasr unit), Wissam Hassan Tawil (overseer of military production), Sheikh Nabil Qaouk (member of the Central Council and commander of the Preventive Security Unit), and Ali Karki (senior military commander, Jihad Council member, and southern front commander), all of whom were martyred in Israeli strikes during this period.⁠[24] On September 27, 2024, in an Israeli airstrike on Hezbollah’ s headquarters in Dahieh, Seyyed Hassan Nasrallah (Secretary-General of Hezbollah) and Brigadier General Abbas Nilforoushan (IRGC commander in charge of Lebanon axis) were martyred.⁠[25] Sheikh Naim Qassem was subsequently appointed as the new Secretary-General by the Central Council.⁠[26] Despite the assassinations of commanders and the Secretary-General, Hezbollah intensified its attacks on the Zionist regime. Its missile and drone units targeted many towns and cities in occupied Palestine, including the residence of Benjamin Netanyahu (Prime Minister of the Zionist regime). In ground engagements, Hezbollah also inflicted casualties and damage on Israeli army personnel and equipment.⁠[27]

Hezbollah maintains a strong media presence. Al-Manar Television⁠[28] is its main media arm, established in 1991. Al-Nour Radio⁠[29] is the group’ s radio outlet, founded in 1988. The weekly Al‑Ahed⁠[30]— Hezbollah’ s oldest publication, established in 1984— focuses on written ideological outreach and movement messaging. In addition, Hezbollah operates three websites: Qawem, South Lebanon, and the Media Communications Unit, for online information and outreach. Hezbollah has also converted one of its bases, known as Mleeta in southern Lebanon, into a museum.⁠[31]

Zir-e Bombaran (Under Bombardment) (2007), Raz-e Penhan (The Hidden Secret) (2015), and 33 Rooz (33 Days) (2010) are cinematic works produced in Iran and other countries about Hezbollah of Lebanon.

Hezbollah: Aqaayed va Abaad (Hezbollah: Beliefs and Dimensions) by Seyyedeh Somayyeh Tabatabaei (Revayat-e Fath), Hezbollah-e Lobnan; Khatt-e Mashy, Gozashteh va Ayande-ye Aan (Hezbollah of Lebanon: Its Policy, Past, and Future) by Sheikh Issa Qassem (Center for Islamic Revolution Documents), and Hezbollah-e Lobnan va Bidari-ye Eslami (Hezbollah of Lebanon and the Islamic Awakening) by Hamid Pashapour (Center for Islamic Revolution Documents) are among the written works on the history and thought of Hezbollah of Lebanon.