God’s Army-A History of Hezbollah

Hezbollah translates to, “God’s Army” in Arabic. The group was formed in 1982 as a militia in response to the Israeli invasion of Lebanon during the Fifth Arab-Israeli War.

Formation

Before the invasion, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) had used Southern Lebanon as a base for attacks against Israeli targets. In retaliation, Israel launched an invasion to expel the PLO and install its ally, Bachir Gemayel, as Lebanon’s president. This military campaign devastated 80% of villages in Southern Lebanon, displacing approximately 400,000 people. In response, Hezbollah emerged as an armed resistance movement to expel the Israeli forces.

Hezbollah gained prominence during the Lebanese Civil War (1975–1990) as a resistance movement primarily representing Lebanon’s Shia community. The group focused on fighting Israeli and Western forces stationed in Lebanon. Although Hezbollah clashed with the Amal Movement for influence in Shia-majority areas and actively fought against Israel’s South Lebanon Army (SLA) proxy force, it largely avoided sectarian violence and direct confrontations with the Lebanese military.

Hezbollah originated within the Shia block of Lebanese society. According to the CIA World Factbook estimate in 2022, Shia comprised 31.2 percent of Lebanon’s population, predominately residing in three areas: Southern Lebanon, Beirut and its southern suburb, Dahieh, as well as the northern Bekaa valley.

1990s

In its early years, members of the Islamic Resistance in Lebanon conducted military operations under various aliases, including the Lebanese National Resistance Front and other smaller factions. Over time, these groups were absorbed into Hezbollah, consolidating the organization’s role as the primary resistance force against Israeli occupation.

With substantial logistical and financial support from Iran, Hezbollah coordinated its military efforts closely with the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), further solidifying its position as a key player in the regional resistance movement.

In 1992, after the assassination of its leader Abbas al-Musawi by Israel, Hassan Nasrallah was elected as Hezbollah’s new leader at the age of 32. That same year, under pressure from Syria, Hezbollah made a pivotal decision to participate in Lebanon’s parliamentary elections—a significant shift from its previous stance of rejecting the political system as corrupt. Despite initial reluctance, Hezbollah secured eight seats in the Lebanese Parliament, marking its transition into both a military and political force.

To further strengthen its influence, Hezbollah established a comprehensive social services network, offering healthcare, education, and financial aid to its supporters, particularly in Shia-majority areas. This move significantly boosted the group’s popularity.

By 1997, Nasrallah’s public image was further amplified after the death of his eldest son, Muhammad Hadi Nasrallah. The 18-year-old was killed in an ambush by Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) along with four other Hezbollah fighters.

In response, the IDF released photos of his son’s body and offered to exchange it for the remains of Israeli soldiers killed in an earlier attack. Nasrallah defiantly rejected the offer, stating:

“Keep it. We have many more men like Hadi ready to offer themselves to the struggle.”

His son’s body would not be returned to Lebanon until 2004, reinforcing Nasrallah’s image as a leader deeply committed to Hezbollah’s cause.

Since the 2000s it has been one of the foremost political forces in Lebanon, a country whose political system is largely divided along sectarian lines. 

Hezbollah’s resistance efforts throughout the 1990s played a major role in the eventual Israeli withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000. This victory solidified the group’s reputation not only within Lebanon but also across the broader Arab and Islamic world.

The Maronite President of Lebanon, Émile Lahoud, acknowledged Hezbollah’s role, stating:

“For us Lebanese, and I can tell you the majority of Lebanese, Hezbollah is a national resistance movement. If it wasn’t for them, we couldn’t have liberated our land. And because of that, we have great esteem for the Hezbollah movement.”

By the end of the decade, Hezbollah had transformed from a militant resistance group into one of the most influential political and military forces in Lebanon, setting the stage for its continued dominance into the 2000s and beyond.

2000’s

Following Israel’s withdrawal from Southern Lebanon in 2000, Hezbollah assumed a key role in defending the region. Some sources suggest that at times, the Lebanese government viewed Hezbollah as the de facto army of South Lebanon, given its military strength and strategic presence.

Hezbollah’s guerrilla warfare tactics were instrumental in expelling Israeli forces, ending 22 years of occupation. This victory significantly bolstered the group’s legitimacy and influence within Lebanon and across the Arab world.

In 2004, Hezbollah, under Hassan Nasrallah’s leadership, orchestrated a prisoner exchange agreement with Israel. The deal resulted in the release of hundreds of Palestinian and Lebanese prisoners and the repatriation of about 200 human remains—including those of Nasrallah’s son, Muhammad Hadi Nasrallah.

Widely celebrated as a major victory, the exchange further elevated Hezbollah’s standing and enhanced Nasrallah’s reputation as a skilled negotiator and strategic leader.

On July 12, 2006, Hezbollah launched a military operation against Israel, aiming to pressure the release of three Lebanese prisoners held in Israeli jails. The operation resulted in the deaths of several Israeli soldiers and the capture of two Israeli troops, whom Hezbollah intended to use as bargaining chips.

Israel retaliated with a major military offensive, leading to a 34-day war. The conflict resulted in:

• Over 1,000 Lebanese deaths
• Mass displacement of approximately 1,000,000 Lebanese civilians
• Significant infrastructure damage across Lebanon

Despite the destruction, Hezbollah’s ability to fight the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) to a standstill was seen as an unprecedented achievement. No other Arab militia had previously managed to withstand Israel’s military might in such a prolonged conflict. As a result, Hassan Nasrallah and Hezbollah emerged as symbols of resistance throughout much of the Arab world.

At the end of the 2006 war, Nasrallah gave a speech that solidified his public image as a “charismatic leader in the media age,” according to Dina Matar, a scholar of Arab media. The speech made him a “symbol of pan-Arab national heroism” and it included this appeal to the Lebanese nation:

“Our victory is not the victory of the party. It is not the victory of a party of a community; rather it is a victory for Lebanon, for the real Lebanese people and every free person in the world. Your resistance, which offered in the 2000 victory for liberation, offered in the year 2006 a model for steadfastness; legendary steadfastness and miraculous steadfastness. It is strong proof for all Arabs and Muslims, rulers, armies and people.”

In July 2008, two years after the war, the bodies of the two abducted Israeli soldiers were returned to Israel in exchange for five Lebanese prisoners and the remains of approximately 200 Lebanese and Palestinian fighters. This swap reinforced Hezbollah’s image as a group capable of negotiating with Israel on equal footing.

Politics

On May 6, 2018, Lebanon held its first parliamentary elections in nearly a decade. The March 8 Alliance, Hezbollah’s political bloc, secured a majority of seats, marking the first time Hezbollah had achieved political dominance in the Lebanese government.

Although Hezbollah did not directly control any key cabinet positions due to concerns over international funding, the group gained significant influence:

• The majority of cabinet positions were filled by its March 8 allies
• Hezbollah itself secured two minor government posts
• The group placed an ally in charge of Lebanon’s Ministry of Health, one of the country’s largest and most critical ministries

This political victory allowed Hezbollah to further expand its influence beyond military operations, shaping Lebanon’s government and policies while maintaining its status as the country’s most powerful militia.

2020’s

In October 2023, a war broke out between Hezbollah and Israel after the Lebanese group joined in solidarity with Palestine and to assist its ally, Hamas, in Gaza. The conflict was sparked by tensions surrounding the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with Hezbollah pledging to continue firing rockets into Israel in support of Palestinian resistance until the fighting in Gaza ended.

By November 2023, Hezbollah and Israel agreed to a ceasefire, which led to Hezbollah’s withdrawal from southern Lebanon and its strongholds along the border with Israel. While Israel committed to withdrawing from Lebanon as part of the ceasefire, Israeli forces remained in parts of southern Lebanon beyond the agreed-upon deadline. This violation of the truce raised tensions and led to concerns about the potential for further escalation.

Considered one of the world’s most heavily armed militias in the 2020s, Hezbollah’s position remained strong despite its military setbacks. However, in September 2024, the group suffered a significant blow with the death of its long-time Secretary General, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah. His death marked a turning point for Hezbollah, raising questions about the group’s leadership and future direction.

In September 2024, the situation in southern Lebanon escalated dramatically when thousands of walkie-talkies and pagers belonging to Hezbollah members exploded, killing dozens of people and injuring thousands more. This attack was followed by a series of Israeli airstrikes targeting Hezbollah weapons in southern Lebanon and Beirut. Israel claimed that the strikes aimed at Hezbollah’s military infrastructure but resulted in hundreds of civilian casualties.

On September 27, 2024, Israel’s air force dropped more than 80 bombs on the Dahieh neighborhood, just south of Beirut, killing 64-year-old Nasrallah.

Legacy

Under Nasrallah’s leadership, Hezbollah not only became a military force capable of defending Lebanon against Israel, but Nasrallah also gained widespread admiration across Lebanon, particularly among the Shia community. His status as a leader and symbol of resistance made him an iconic figure in the region.

In 2007, the Lebanese singer Alaa Zalzali composed the song “Ya Nasrallah,” a tribute to his leadership and resilience. Similarly, Julia Boutros, a Lebanese Christian singer, created the song “Ahebba’i,” which was inspired by Nasrallah’s powerful words in a televised message to Hezbollah fighters during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war.

The admiration for Nasrallah was vividly reflected in his funeral, which was attended by an estimated 1.4 million people from across Lebanon and the Middle East. The event took place at Beirut’s Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium and was one of the largest funerals in Lebanese history. Nasrallah was viewed by many as not only a political leader but also as a fatherly figure and symbol of resistance.

Nasrallah is survived by his wife, Fatima Yassin, and his children: Jawad, Mohammed-Mahdi, Mohammed Ali, and his daughter Zeinab, as well as several grandchildren. His family continues to carry forward his legacy, with Hezbollah remaining a significant political and military force in Lebanon.