This paper analyzes the extent to which Hezbollah, aligning itself as a transnational organization, threatens Lebanon’s internal security. Hezbollah known as the “Party of God” is a fundamentalist Shia Organization; its militant wing was formed after the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982. To review the role of Hezbollah, a major emphasis of the analysis will be put on Hezbollah’s military wing, organizational structure and shifts in tactics about security threats within Lebanon. Seemingly, domestic stability is negatively affected by Hezbollah because it prolongs sectarian conflict and participates in regional wars such as in Syria. It also seeks to offer social services in areas where the Lebanese state is unable to satisfactorily serve the needs, thus playing a role in the popularity of the organization. Hence this dual function brings about a hybrid security architecture that works in parallel and in some ways in competition with the state and inhibits the process of the centralization of the Lebanese national security architecture.

National policies associated with Iran contribute to sectarian conflict and military action in the event of Hezbollah organization. Also, the measures affecting Hezbollah affect the Lebanese economy, whereas the prognosis concerning the political and security conditions of the state remains ambiguous. This evidence suggests the requirement for an additional examination of Hezbollah’s stance in Lebanon since its military aspect should be considered alongside its social components.

Introduction

Terrorism, defined as an unlawful use of violence and intimidation to advance political agendas, has more often been revealed to have cross-border attributes and effects not only on the countries that support or advertise terrorism but also within their regions and beyond. This global reach of terrorism, therefore, underscores the need to gain a deeper understanding of terrorism in operations, particularly regarding the geopolitical consequences. Transnational terrorism is one of the most unique phenomena to understand because of the numerous organizational structures that group it; one of these groups is Hezbollah which is both a political party and a militant organization that operates from Lebanon and is made up of Shia Islamist members.

The Organization known as Hezbollah was formed in the early 1980s as a result of the Israeli aggression in Lebanon. While it had started its operations as a rebellion group, it has now transformed into a formidable political and military one. Based on the ideological framework, the organization is rooted in Shia Islam principles, it significantly condemns Western involvement especially from the United States and Israel as highlighted by Afzali and ASL (2023) as well as Kalantari (2023). As such, it possesses this ideological conviction within Lebanon and throughout the region, thus playing an essential role in the Middle Eastern power dynamic.

Hezbollah’s strategic advancements are described by other scholars such as Gabrielsen (2014) and Matthews (2012) outline their important role, especially in the 2006 Lebanon war and the Syrian civil war. All these military operations have not only enhanced the performance of Hezbollah but also extended its activity to countries other than Lebanon.

However, it is critical to elaborate on Hezbollah’s transnational operations since they significantly influence Lebanon’s internal security conditions. This group influenced politics, got control of many areas in Lebanon, and had close relations with Iran which only worsened the sectarian conflict and political violence in Lebanon. One prominent example is the 2008, Lebanon Conflict. Herein, Balanche’s (2019) and Meier’s (2018) works have shown that the actions of Hezbollah harm the state sovereignty and stability in Lebanon as Hezbollah has its own military forces, secret service, and social security system existing outside of the control of the Lebanese authorities, which in a way undermines the existing state power and restricts its capacities to rule. Hezbollah effectively has a check and balance system over the Lebanese government through its political presence in the government and its military power which in the end undermines state capacities by recreating inefficient, dependent, conflicting national policies and thus hindering the attempt at the unification of the state.

This paper hypothesizes that Hezbollah’s operations outside of Lebanon (for instance the Syrian Civil War) have a devastating impact on the security situation within Lebanon. This research on Hezbollah seeks to investigate the effects of the Organization on Lebanon by looking at its ideological and military development as well as its strategic changes. The findings aim to contribute to the understanding of Hezbollah and the issues that might help policymakers and the world community provide proper responses to the existing threats and maintain Lebanon’s stability.

Research Questions

• How does Hezbollah’s dual role as a political and militant organization impact Lebanon’s internal security and sectarian stability?
• In what ways do Hezbollah’s transnational operations, affect Lebanon’s domestic political landscape and security situation?
• What is the influence of Hezbollah’s social service programs on its popularity and legitimacy within Lebanon, and how does this impact state authority?
• How do Hezbollah’s ideological foundations shape its actions and strategies within Lebanon?

Literature review

There is vast literature available on Hezbollah that explains its multifaceted position in the context of Lebanon’s domestic security. Based on the historical information observed by Gabrielsen (2014), Hezbollah has evolved from a mere guerrilla group to a well-conditioned and competent militant organization, especially in terms of the approach to the 2006 Lebanon War. Kalantari (2023) discusses the political tendency concerning Hezbollah looking at the principle of Wilayat al-Faqih and the impact of Iran on the shaping of the radicalism and goals of Hezbollah. Nilsson (2020) expands this by looking at the social-political isolation of the Shia population in Lebanon leading to the formation of Hezbollah as a militant as well as social welfare organization.

Matthews (2012) has further described the elasticity of Hezbollah pointing out that during the Syrian civil war, the organisation has started using military strategy in addition to a guerrilla one. Meier (2018) also analyzes the impact that Hezbollah has had on conflicts in the region, especially given the organization’s intervention in Syria helped to strengthen its military forces and strategic positions. In politics, Bayramzadeh (2017) and Hazbun (2016) describe the seminal political impacts of Hezbollah highlighting the fact that being both a political party and a militant group, it fosters sectarian violence and viages state authority. In conclusion, overall, this literature establishes the fact that while Hezbollah contributes stability to Lebanon in a manner, it also does so in numerous other ways, which sketch out the picture of a hybrid organization in the region.

Research Methodology

The approach used in the undertaken study is a qualitative research that entails the analysis of scholarly literature on the subject regarding Hezbollah’s influence on Lebanon’s domestic security. Secondary research data concerning; the group’s background, its modus operandi and the aspect that it acts like a political party and a militia. This methodological approach allows approximately the extent of the organization’s interference in the stability of processes within Lebanon and its participation in conflicts in regions such as the Syrian civil war. In this way, the research has proposed a strategy towards an enriched understanding of the threat posed to Lebanon’s security architecture by Hezbollah.

Hezbollah’s Ideological Foundations

Hezbollah is a Shia Islamist political and militant organization established in Lebanon and has its values in Lebanese and Middle Eastern society. Of course, it is based on Shia Islamic fundamentals, anti-Americanism and a decided stance against Israeli existence in the Middle East.Without these foundations, the audience would not be able to dissect Hezbollah’s actions and its influence on Lebanon’s domestic security arrangements. (Kalantari,2023)

Hezbollah is equipped with an ideological viewpoint, that shares many of its fundamentals with the teachings of Iran’s leading revolutionary, Ayatollah Khomeini. This influence can be seen from the fact that Hezbollah imposes a system of governance known as “Wilayat al-Faqih: Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist” whereby a Shia religious leader is the supreme authority in government(Nilsson, 2020). This has been a theological and Political calamity for Hezbollah since it has awakened the support from Iran in terms of ideology, funds and warfare assets, hence propelling the strength of the party both in Lebanon and the Middle Eastern region.

Hezbollah was also created due to the social-political oppression of the Shia community in Lebanon. The main oppressors were the Lebanese state and the traditional political approbation, mainly Maronite Christians and Sunni Muslims, who have excluded Shia economically, politically and socially. Thus, the Shia population in Lebanon in the middle part of the twentieth century experienced exclusion and discrimination systematically. They were equally politically marginalized and locked out from development initiatives hence today, the Shia regions of Lebanon; particularly Bekaa Valley and the south remain comparatively impoverished and underdeveloped. This marginalisation led people to develop resentments and this formed the basis for the development of Hezbollah, which was formed to advocate for Shia rights and domination and also operate as a welfare institution since such services were omitted by the state of the Shia community in Lebanon(Norton,2007).

For most of the time in the past, Shia political and economic status in Lebanon has been one of marginalization(Kalantari, 2023). Hezbollah assumed the role of the Shia movement’s defender and fought for the improvement of social conditions and the rights of the Shia community in the political context. This mission struck a chord in the Shia population and turned large quantities of people to the side of Hezbollah besides supporting its operations in the sectarian context of Lebanon.

However, one of the most conspicuous features of Hezbollah’s ideology is its revolutionary stance(Hezbollah’s commitment to profound political and social change.), based on the religious and socio-political objectives and most significantly the anti-Zionist position. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon in the year 1982 can be put down as this party’s reason for formation. (Gabrielsen, 2014)

The group established itself as the anti-occupation force against the Israelis, a theme that has been core to the group’s operations and ideologies. As a political-military resistance ideology, this allows not only for the justification of Hezbollah’s military operations but also the recruitment of various groups of Lebanese society as well as the larger Arab world.

Here Hezbollah demonstrates its deep ideological dedication. It directs schools, and hospitals and gets involved in various welfare programs which are very pivotal to the developmental course of the institution in question and also for welfare aid required by the formation of an institutional plan. As a result, there is this militant threshold with the social services for instance in combating the actions of the group because they have the role of contractors of state-like powers with the state of Lebanon apart from being a geopolitical movement party that fully participates in the political economy of the Middle East.

Therefore, it is a political and socio-religious organization connected with Shia Islam against which backdrop it has the fighting political and military components. Consequently, as the rest of the elements within this paper exemplify, these elements are indispensable to this organization’s mission and sufficient in meeting operational needs in Lebanon and the subsequent regions. This ideological apparatus, therefore, suffices and necessitates a comprehension to determine the influence of Hezbollah on the security issues in Lebanon at the national level and on the place of Lebanon and Hezbollah in the security architecture of the Middle Eastern region.

Hezbollah’s Military Evolution and Strategic Adaptations

Besides being involved in Iran’s regional influence, in essence, the foundation of the movement called ‘Hezbollah’ was the invasion of the Israeli army into Lebanon in 1982 where the said movement was originally petite in resistance using guerrilla tactics (Gabrielsen, 2014). Originally, the technique widely practised by the group was guerrilla warfare with key strategies such as a hit-and-run ambush, and the use of improvised explosive devices due to the presence of the Israeli military.

Hezbollah too has evolved and the group is better developed and formally equipped than before (Matthews, 2012). This evolution was due to the strong push formed by Iran that included training, financial aid and even state-of-the-art equipment. This support helped enhance the abilities, goals and the extent of dissemination of its strategies by Hezbollah (Cordesman, 2006). Its involvement in the Syrian civil war also presented competencies in conventional war, infusing clues of transformation in the group’s practice from asymmetrical warfare tactics to the use of conventional arms (Meier, 2018, p 169). Some of the shifts and patterns that have been identified include Hezbollah’s operation that demonstrated its agility and longevity during the 2006 Lebanon war against the Hezbollah that waged war against a modern Israeli defence force for several months. Hezbollah has also employed tactics that included guerrilla warfare, rocket attacks and very effective measures to respond to Israeli forces and demonstrate the change in the improvement of combat capabilities (Gabrielsen,2014). This conflict again saw how Hezbollah has evolved into a militant group with guerrilla-fighting and conventional forces.

Therefore, the military transformation is also characterized by its capacity and the use of media and psychological operations. Hezbollah has been able to employ these media outlets in making its version of the event go viral and get support and a morale boost on its side and at the same time cause a drop in morale on the other side. It has been employed as part of its military strategies to enhance its voices and influence not only in the war (Hazbun 2016:182).

Thus, studying the process of Hezbollah’s development and its strategic changes, it is possible to conclude that the evolution of the warfare strategy was a transformation of the guerrilla resistance movement into a military powerful organization. This evolution has been made possible by external support services, engagements in regional conflicts and other activities and orientation in the use of media for a positive result. It is thus axiomatic to comprehend the military capacity and the active progression within Hezbollah, which impacts Lebanon’s internal and intra–national security, as well as its often extra–regional reputation.

Hezbollah’s Impact on Lebanon’s Security

Hezbollah is a militia group and political party in Lebanon of Shiite Islamists that began in the early 1980s after the invasion of the Israelis in Lebanon. These two roles and positions of the organization, on the one hand, as a political party or a Lebanese political movement and, on the other hand, as a military force, complicate the situation considerably and determine different facets of Lebanese internal safety.

Concerning internal security, the impacts of Hezbollah in Lebanon are the establishment of an effective armed force organization in addition to the recognized security forces within Lebanon. The ‘Islamic Resistance’ which is the practical fighting arm of Hezbollah is still in control of a substantial quantity of weapons and men that can challenge or compete with the Lebanese Army. (Gabrielsen, 2014)

The offering of well-organized independent security by the militias also erodes the sovereignty of the state and the process of coming up with a consolidated national defence in Lebanon. This seems to have created elements of the security structures in the country where Hezbollah’s military capacity is inherently capable of acting autonomously from the Iranian state. This is primarily because its political motives, often negative to the state agenda, are different.

Furthermore, the analysis of the work showed that Lebanon which hosts Hezbollah has been involved in many regional conflicts, especially in Syria. Hezbollah’s direct involvement alongside Assad in the Syrian Civil War has dragged Lebanon into a regional war bringing in countermeasures and terrorist attacks in Lebanon. (Gabrielsen, 2014)

These actions have deepened the conflict within Lebanon on the internal front because of the devastating effects of the Syrian crisis for example inflow of refugees, and sectarian problems. They also get involved in military operations to initiate sporadic attacks on Israel now and then to exchange fire across the border which is a security threat in addition to elevating the security risk against the background of a very weak security situation in Lebanon.

Therefore, the process of political integration of Hezbollah has altered the internal security circumstances in Lebanon originating in the military muscle of the party.

For over two decades now, Hezbollah has obtained considerable influence in the Lebanese Parliament after its start in political activities in the early 1990s and has been named as a member of the coalition governments. (Azani E.,2023)

This political muscle helps the group to dictate national policies and impose its demands(For instance, Hezbollah’s vocal rejection of international fiscal changes and bailout measures that entail international financial organizations like, the International Monetary Fund or IMF has constantly been the reason why certain national fiscal policies that may assist in stabilizing Lebanon’s economy and that may inadvertently contradict Hezbollah’s strategic goals are slowed down or changed.), which more often than not put the group’s strategic interests in the region in line with Iran above the stability of Lebanon as a nation. Due to the group’s loyalty to Iran and its interference in regional conflict, the sectarian divisions between Shiite and Sunni in Lebanon are fueled. These are sectarian conflicts that are always a cause of conflict and, as such, lead to occasional eruptions of violence that destabilize the admittedly slow and weak progress towards peace in the country. (Bayramzadeh, 2021)

In addition, Hezbollah has its own security and intelligence structures that act alongside and in some cases independently of the Lebanese state, which weakens the state even more(Hezbollah often bypasses or contradicts national government decisions). This network undertakes spying, infiltration and other security tasks on its own and at times focuses on defending the Hezbollah agenda rather than the state’s interest.

This kind of powerful and independent security force within the state also disenfranchises the people’s confidence in the state institutions and the continuing dynamics of dependency and loyalty to Hezbollah for its followers. This puts the Lebanese government in a very precarious position, especially in trying to ensure that the laws of the country are applied equally across the whole of this nation and that order is restored. (Wiegand,2009)

In this regard, while these factors represent sources of instability, Hezbollah also helps to consolidate elements of stability within Lebanon’s domestic structure. Due to its large social service intervention, the group plays a major role in support where the Lebanese state is either not present, or lacking significantly. Hezbollah has provided hospitals, schools and welfare facilities to the needy, especially in the Shiite regions to bridge the shortfalls of a dysfunctional state(Wiegand,2009).

Not only does this entity have a large source of support from this region, but the more expansive social network also enhances the power base and control over the Shiite areas. In this regard, by fulfilling the deprived groups’ needs, Hezbollah preserves a certain order and stability even if it is an order indirectly controlled by the Organisation rather than the Lebanese state.

Therefore, it can be concluded that Hezbollah is a part of stabilizing Lebanon’s internal security as it is a security threat in terms of its military and politics. The political power and loyalty of Hezbollah negatively affects the Lebanese sectarian divide and drags Lebanon into regional war thus increasing the level of insecurity in the country. This ongoing situation poses security challenges and other ramifications for Lebanon and the global community, particularly given Hezbollah’s involvement in illicit activities and the international sanctions imposed on it. On the other hand, the parallel government and social assistance services that are provided by Hezbollah guarantee the organization’s support (This support comes from Hezbollah’s base of supporters, which includes certain segments of Lebanon’s population who benefit from its social programs and views the organization as a provider of essential services.) and make it challenging to build a coherent Lebanese state. In considering the challenges posed by Hezbollah, it is crucial to underline that the main goal of the intervention must be aimed at taking into account Hezbollah as a constructed power that is closely interwoven in the framework of the Lebanese state and at the same time try to bring the state sovereignty and national unity of Lebanon back to life, restore the political process(The political process in Lebanon is directed at the return of international recognition, the unity of the state and fair democratic system that meets the requirements of the population, as well as orientation on the smuggling of Hezbollah within the framework of the state.), and establish fair democratic governance that will respond to the needs and expectations of the population. (Augustus Richard Norton,2007)

Conclusion

From this research, it is quite clear that the matters of domestic security in the military of Lebanon are inseparable from the social fabric of Hezbollah. These dual functions, as a political party and a militant group, are a problem and a need for Lebanon. On one yardstick it has military and an active role in geo-political crises like in Syria that kindles sectarianism and undermines sovereignty. On the other hand, a large number of activities and operating social service organizations correspondingly meet the major basic needs of the excluded areas and receive huge appreciation from the local society.

In this regard, some people believe that Hezbollah is implementing the Iranian stances and also can steer the Lebanese national stances. Those are sectarian and have often been a cause of domestic conflicts in Lebanon. The repercussions imposed on Hezbollah result in significant hardship and therefore the general economy in Lebanon is impacted and not just the party; this slows the activities of the government.

While they have functioned as a socially influential force that has reformed the lives of the population in Lebanon primarily through social services, Hezbollah on the other hand poses a threat to the sovereignty of the state through military actions. State capacity building and political power access are thus crucial foundational conditions against Hezbollah’s influence and the aggravation of conflict in Lebanon. Such research presupposes the need to work on the integrated concept of tackling security and social needs in Lebanon.

Title image courtesy: NBC News

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of India and Defence Research and Studies

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1 Shahzain Qadri, student of MA (International Relation) at Amity University, Noida. This article was submitted on concluding the Summer Internship Program with DRaS and Praghna Centre for Research.