What is Hezbollah, How it is Linked to Hamas & Why It Has Joined Conflict Against Israel | EXPLAINED

In the recent fighting that started after Hamas fired rockets at Israel, Lebanon’s Iran-backed group Hezbollah joined the offensive on Sunday. The militant group said it fired “large numbers of artillery shells and guided missiles” at Israeli positions in a contested border area.

The escalation comes amid fears of a ground invasion of Gaza after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu threatened to turn the Palestinian territory into a “deserted island” following Hamas’s surprise attack.

Earlier on Saturday, Hezbollah praised Hamas for its “heroic operation” after the group launched an air, sea and land attack on Israel. Hezbollah said its leadership was following the developments and “in direct contact with the leadership of the Palestinian resistance at home and abroad”.

Here is all you need to know about Hezbollah, its origins and why it is in conflict with Israel:

What is Hezbollah and Why was it Formed?

Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group based in Lebanon where it enjoys the status of being “a state within a state.”

It was founded in 1982 during the Lebanese Civil War with the help of Iranian-backed groups. It was driven by its opposition to Israel and its resistance to Western influence in the Middle East. It has been designated as a terrorist group by several countries including the United States.

Hezbollah’s Relations with Hamas

Hezbollah and Hamas both emerged during the 1980s and regard themselves as Islamist resistance organizations. Hezbollah’s political ideology is closely aligned with the guardianship of the jurist, developed by Iran’s Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.

Hamas, on the other hand, is a Sunni organization and is based on the thoughts of the Muslim Brotherhood, which regards Islam as the solution to political and social problems.

Despite the differences in views and the Islamic sect, the two groups are long-time allies. Both Hezbollah and Hamas are related in their objective: resistance to the fight against Israel and both organizations have a military wing that functions outside the confines of the group.

Hezbollah’s Resistance to Israel

Hezbollah wields influence in Lebanon and plays a significant role in several Arab countries including Iraq, Syria and Palestinian territories among others.

The Lebanon-based group had the objective of liberating southern Lebanon from Israeli occupation, which lasted from 1982 until 2000.

The militant group also fought a guerrilla war against Israeli forces occupying parts of Southern Lebanon. In 2006 Hezbollah and Israel fought a 34-day war that left more than 1,200 dead in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and 160 in Israel, mostly soldiers.

In 2013, Hezbollah officially entered the Syrian civil war in support of President Bashar al-Assad, a decision that didn’t go in line with its long-standing claim to be fighting on behalf of the oppressed.