Hezbollah has used its stronghold in southern Lebanon to launch continual attacks on northern Israel since October 8, 2023. Hezbollah says it is motivated by its support for Hamas, a fellow member of Iran’s Axis of Resistance surrounding Israel. While Hezbollah is Shia and Hamas is Sunni, both are devoted to Israel’s destruction, and both receive funding from and coordinate with Iran.
On October 8, 2023, Hezbollah launched a barrage of rockets at northern Israel that escalated tensions in the region and prompted a substantial increase in the IDF presence along the border with Lebanon. It was not the first instance of such hostilities, however, as both sides have a long history of conflict.
Hezbollah and Hamas have significant ideological and religious differences, but they are united in the goal of destroying Israel and in their alliance with Iran. Before Hamas’ attacks on October 7th, the two terrorist organizations had significant coordination, although Hamas did not warn Hezbollah what it planned for that day.
Hezbollah emerged in Lebanon in the 1980s, rooted in the historical marginalization of the country’s Shiite community. Today, Hezbollah is a major player in Lebanese social and political life, wielding significant influence over both the government and the military situation.
Iran exerts an immense amount of influence over its most successful proxy creation, Hezbollah.
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