An Insight into Lebanon's Hezbollah: Understanding its role and potential conflict with Israel

Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of Hezbollah, has praised the recent attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel in his first speech regarding the ongoing conflict. Hezbollah has been consistently targeting Israeli military positions and armor from Lebanon over the past month. The group, which is politically influential and controls the most powerful armed force in Lebanon, was established in the early 1980s by Iran, the dominant Shia power in the region, to oppose Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon during the civil war. Hezbollah has been involved in national elections since 1992 and has become a significant political force. Its armed wing has carried out deadly attacks against Israeli and US forces in Lebanon, claiming credit for pushing Israel out of southern Lebanon when they withdrew in 2000. Since then, Hezbollah has maintained a large number of fighters and a substantial missile arsenal in southern Lebanon, persistently opposing Israel's presence in disputed border areas. The group is considered a terrorist organization by Western states, Israel, Gulf Arab countries, and the Arab League. In 2006, a full-scale war erupted between Israel and Hezbollah following a deadly cross-border raid by the latter. Despite Israeli attempts to eliminate the threat, Hezbollah survived and has since increased its number of fighters and acquired better weapons. Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah, a Shia cleric, has led Hezbollah since 1992, playing a crucial role in transforming it into both a political and military force. He has close ties with Iran and its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dating back to his appointment by Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1981 as his personal representative in Lebanon. Although Nasrallah has remained out of the public eye for years, fearing potential assassination by Israel, he remains highly regarded within Hezbollah and delivers televised speeches on a weekly basis. Hezbollah is one of the world's most heavily-armed non-state military forces and is supported and equipped by Iran. Nasrallah claims the group has 100,000 fighters, although independent estimates vary between 20,000 and 50,000. Many of its members are well-trained and battle-hardened, having fought in the Syrian civil war. The group possesses an estimated 130,000 rockets and missiles, primarily consisting of small, unguided surface-to-surface artillery rockets. It is also believed to have anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, as well as guided missiles capable of striking deep inside Israel, surpassing the capabilities of Hamas in the Gaza Strip. Following the Hamas attack on October 7, Hezbollah has been targeting Israeli military positions in northern Israel, launching rockets, using anti-tank missiles, and employing explosive drones. In response, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have conducted airstrikes and utilized tank and artillery fire against Hezbollah in Lebanon. Casualties have been reported on both sides, and Israel has evacuated numerous civilians from the area. The IDF has stated that its forces remain on high alert along Israel's northern border, with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warning of an "unimaginable" response if Hezbollah opens a second front in the conflict.