Explained: What is Hezbollah and why is it raining down rockets on Israel?

Israel and its perils seem no end with Hezbollah supporting Hamas. The Shiite organization Hezbollah is launching rockets against Israeli military positions in the disputed Shebaa Farm Region. Following an unprecedented invasion by Hamas militants from Gaza into Israeli territory, Hezbollah has praised the action as being "in solidarity" with the Palestinian people.

 Hezbollah is a Shi'ite organization grown from a covert group formed during Lebanon's 1975–1990 civil war to a powerful movement with significant influence over the Lebanese state. Many governments, including the US, label it a terrorist group. 

Israel-Palestine War: A comparison of Israel’s military power vs Palestinian militant group

This article will help you learn about the Lebanese group, its origin, development and more.

What is Hezbollah?

Hezbollah means  'Party of Allah' or 'Party of God'. It is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militant group founded during the 1982 Lebanon War. The organization was created with the support of 1,500 Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps instructors and aggregated a variety of Lebanese Shia groups into a unified organization to resist the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon.

The Shiite has been led by Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah since 1992. The paramilitary wing of the organisation is known as the Jihad Council and the political wing is the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc party in the Lebanese Parliament. Hezbollah has received extensive military assistance from Iran since its inception. Over the years, it has amassed a formidable arsenal of rockets, missiles, and other weaponry to maintain an acrimony against Israel.

Source: Wikipedia

Hezbollah also has a formal governing structure, and in keeping with the principle of Guardianship of the Islamic Jurists it concentrates all authority and powers on its religious leaders, whose decisions then "flow from the ulama down the entire community."

What is Hamas and its role in the Israel- Palestine Conflict?

Why is Hezbollah targeting Israel?

The dispute between Israel and Hezbollah is a long-standing and complex conflict that has its roots in a history of political, religious, and territorial issues. Hezbollah is a Shiite political and military organization based in Lebanon, while Israel is a Middle Eastern country located to the south of Lebanon. Taking responsibility for the recent attack Hezbollah said in a statement, “ On the path to liberate the remaining part of our occupied Lebanese land and in solidarity with the victorious Palestinian resistance and the steadfast Palestinian people, the groups of the martyred commander Hajj Imad Moghniyeh in the Islamic Resistance carried out an attack this Sunday, October 08, 2023, targeting 3 Zionist occupation sites in the occupied Lebanese Shebaa Farms region.” 

The situation remains volatile, and periodic flare-ups of violence continue to occur in the region, contributing to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Some of the key points regarding the dispute are:

Historical Background:

• The disputes began with the invasion of Israel in 1982. During this period Israel tried to get rid of Palestinian armed forces from Lebanon. 
• Hezbollah then was formed as the resistance movement to get rid of the Israeli presence in Southern Lebanon.
  
  

Territorial Disputes:

• The core of the tension between Israel and Palestine is the Sheeba Farms region. It is a small piece of land on the border of Lebanon, Israel and Syria border. 

Religious and Political Factors:

• Hezbollah Shiite Muslim organized group backed by Iran and Syria. It enjoys great power and a majority in Lebanon’s government and parliament. 
• Israel and the United States consider it a terrorist organisation funded by Iran.

The rivalry has led to numerous clashes over the years, including a significant war in 2006 when Israel attacked Hezbollah troops in response to cross-border raids and the kidnapping of Israeli troops. Since then, there have been occasional conflicts, rocket assaults, and skirmishes along the Israel-Lebanon border; however, they have not turned into a full-scale conflict.

Why is the Palestinian Group Hamas Attacking Israel? Explained

Since 1978, UNIFIL has been stationed in southern Lebanon to assist in preserving stability and keep an eye on the border between Israel and Lebanon. However, they haven't succeeded completely in maintaining peace between Israel and Hezbollah.