Hezbollah

The think tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) previously described the group as “The world’s most heavily armed non-state actor, with a large and diverse stockpile of unguided artillery rockets, as well as ballistic, antiair, antitank, and antiship missiles.”

The assassination of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, group’s top leader and Secretary-General on September 29 by Israeli forces marked a pivotal event for Hezbollah. The killing escalated tensions between Israel and Hezbollah and raised fears of broader conflict in the region with Iran has vowing revenge for Nasrallah's death. With Hezbollah’s operations chief Ibrahim Aqil and top commander Fuad Shukr, both killed by the Israeli military, Nasrallah’s close associate, Hashem Safieddine is widely regarded as his most likely successor.

According to Israel Defense Force, under Nasrallah’s three decades reign, Hezbollah transformed into a formidable military organisation with an estimated 20,000 to 25,000 full-time fighters, bolstered by elite units like the Radwan Force noted for combat proficiency and strategic importance in conflicts.

Additionally, IDF staes that Hezbollah possesses a sophisticated arsenal estimated to include over 150,000 rockets and missiles, drones, and other advanced weaponry allowing the military strength to operate independently of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) and engage in conflicts with Israel while maintaining significant territorial control within Lebanon.

Hezbollah was formed during Lebanon’s civil war (1975-1990) which was a result of “long-simmering discontent over the large, armed Palestinian presence in the country”, according to the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). The group was formed by the coalition of Shiite clerics and militants who sought to resist Israeli occupation and promote an Islamic state modeled after Iran's theocratic regime. Hence, the group's ideology is rooted in Shiite Islamism, heavily influenced by Iran's Islamic Revolution of 1979.

The group gained prominence through its military operations against Israeli forces and Western interests in Lebanon, including high-profile attacks such as the 1983 bombings of US and French military barracks in Beirut, which killed over 300 people, according to a Congressional Service Report (CSR).

Hezbollah functions as a "state within a state," exerting considerable influence over Lebanon's political landscape. It has been involved in various governmental coalitions and used its military strength to secure political positions. Despite losing parliamentary seats in recent elections, it maintains a blocking third of cabinet positions.