The Struggle between Israel and Hizbullah, 1982-2020

Key Findings:

There is no adversarial state in the Middle East as challenging to understand as Lebanon. Unlike Israel’s other Arab neighbors, Lebanon is a state with a Shiite Muslim plurality, headed by the militant Shiite organization Hizbullah. 

At the root of the struggle between Israel and Hizbullah, already being waged for almost four decades, stands Iran. For those who incorrectly saw Hizbullah as chiefly a local Lebanese phenomenon, Shapira’s analysis provides an important corrective that stresses the role of Iran and brings its quest to create a Middle Eastern empire into correct proportion.

Iran’s creation and control of Hizbullah represents a significant aspect of its broader regional ambitions. The founding of Hizbullah can be traced back to the early 1980s, during a time of turmoil in Lebanon due to Israel's military invasion and the collapse of the central administration in Beirut. Iran saw an opportunity to export its Islamic Revolution and dispatched forces to Syria and Lebanon to engage in jihad against Israel and the West, and establish an Islamic empire among Shiite populations in the region.

Hizbullah was established as an alternative to the secular Shiite movement, Amal, which had detached itself from Iran and recognized Lebanon as its homeland, refusing to accept Iran's religious and political authority. The Iranian ambassador in Damascus, Ali Akhbar Mohtashemi Pur, played a key role in setting up Hizbullah, bringing together Shiite clerics who recognized the principle of velayat-e faqih (Rule of the Jurisprudent) and various pro-Iranian Lebanese elements. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards were built the organizational and military framework of Hizbullah. Training camps were established to indoctrinate and mobilize young Shiite fighters.

The first significant engagement of Hizbullah fighters was during the Battle of Khalde, where they attempted to halt Israel's advance toward Beirut. Though their military achievements were limited, this battle is considered the founding myth of the "Islamic resistance" and established Hizbullah as a force to be reckoned with. Key figures in Hizbullah's early leadership included Imad Mughniyeh, Mustafa Badreddine, and Ali Deeb, who played pivotal roles in shaping the group's operations and tactics.

On November 11, 1982, the first suicide operation against Israel in Lebanon took place when a suicide bomber named Ahmad Qassir attacked the Israeli military governor's headquarters in Tyre. The operation was meticulously planned by Imad Mughniyeh, who recruited the bomber and provided explosives for the attack. The success of this operation led to more suicide bombings in Lebanon, including attacks on the American embassy and the headquarters of the U.S. marines and French paratroopers in Beirut in 1983.

This paper provides further in-depth review of Israel’s history with Hizbullah and the militant group’s broader regional involvement between 1982-2020 (e.g. Hizbullah in the Syrian Civil War, Hizbullah’s Plan to Conquer the Galilee, Iran’s Precision-Guided Missile Project for Hizbullah, Hizbullah’s Presence in the Golan Heights, The Death of Qasem Soleimani, and Hizbullah’s Weapons Depots and the Beirut Port Explosion).

Through Hizbullah, Iran has effectively gained control over key institutions of the Lebanese state, leading to a destabilization of the country amid economic and political corruption. Iran's strategy extends beyond Lebanon, aiming to establish its influence among Shiite populations in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, and the Persian Gulf states, while challenging the nation-states in which they operate.

Hizbullah's involvement in conflicts, its acquisition of precision-guided missiles, and its positioning in civilian areas have raised tensions in the region and prompted demands for disarmament. The situation remains dynamic and complex, with potential implications for regional security and stability.