Lebanese Hezbollah
Updated January 11, 2023
Lebanese Hezbollah
Hezbollah (“Party of God” also spelled Hizballah) is an
Objectives
Iran-backed Lebanese Shi’a militia and U.S.-designated
For nearly two decades, Hezbollah’s stated objective was to
Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO). Formed in the wake
drive IDF forces from southern Lebanon, through a range of
of the 1982 Israeli invasion of southern Lebanon, the group
attacks on Israeli military and civilian targets. Since the
has conducted numerous attacks against Israeli and Western
Israeli withdrawal in 2000, Hezbollah has used Israel’s
targets. Hezbollah serves as an Iranian partner force,
remaining presence in the Sheb’a Farms and other disputed
enabling Tehran to project power across the region and
areas in the Lebanon-Syria-Israel tri-border region (see
threaten U.S. interests and allies across the Middle East.
Figure 1) to justify its ongoing conflict with Israel—and its
persistence as an armed militia alongside the Lebanese
Figure 1. Lebanon
Armed Forces (LAF). Hezbollah also bolsters Iranian
objectives; the State Department’s 2021 Country Reports
on Terrorism states that Iran provides Hezbollah with “most
of its funding, training, weapons, and explosives, as well as
political, diplomatic, monetary, and organizational aid.”
Hezbollah operates a global criminal-financial network,
with reported hubs in Europe, Africa, and Latin America. A
2022 Europol report stated, “The network of collaborators
built by Hezbollah in the EU is suspected of managing the
transportation and distribution of illegal drugs into the EU,
dealing with firearms trafficking and running professional
money laundering operations.” Other 2022 reports highlight
Hezbollah’s role in the trafficking of amphetamine-type
stimulants, marketed as “captagon,” along the Syria-
Lebanon border.
In addition to military and criminal objectives, Hezbollah
also seeks influence in Lebanon’s political system, likely in
part to prevent the government from targeting the group’s
weapons stockpiles or private telecommunications network.
Hezbollah in Lebanese Politics
Hezbollah has participated in elections since 1992, and
draws popular support from its vast network of schools,
clinics, youth programs, and other social services. The
Source: Created by CRS. UNIFIL = United Nations Interim Force in
group entered the cabinet for the first time in 2005, and has
Lebanon; UNDOF = United Nations Disengagement Observer Force.
held one to three seats in each Lebanese government
Leadership, Structure, and Size
formed since then. Hezbollah has at times sought to block
cabinet decisions, twice prompting the collapse of the
Hassan Nasrallah has served as Secretary-General of
government by withdrawing from the cabinet alongside its
Hezbollah since the assassination of his predecessor by the
political allies. The group is part of the March 8 political
Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) in 1992. According to the U.S.
coalition, which also includes the Free Patriotic Movement
government, the External Security Organization (ESO), the
(Christian) and the Amal Movement (Shi’a). Hezbollah
military arm of Hezbollah responsible for the planning,
holds two seats in Lebanon’s caretaker government.
coordination, and execution of terrorist attacks, is headed
by Talal Hamiyah. The ESO is also known as the Islamic
Hezbollah did not gain additional parliamentary seats in the
Jihad Organization (IJO) or Unit 910. Some countries and
2018 or 2022 legislative elections (it continues to hold 13
the European Union separate Hezbollah’s military and
out of 128). However, following the expiration of President
political wings—designating the former for sanctions while
Michel Aoun’s term in October 2022, Hezbollah and its
maintaining dialogue with the latter. U.S. officials describe
March 8 allies have obstructed efforts by parliament to elect
this division as a “false distinction,” and one not made by
a president by preventing the formation of a quorum and by
Hezbollah itself. Definitive numbers on Hezbollah’s total
casting blank ballots in parliamentary electoral sessions. In
size are not publicly available; the International Institute for
November 2022, the head of Hezbollah’s parliamentary
Strategic Studies’ 2022 Military Balance estimates that the
group may have “up to 20,000 active personnel.”
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Lebanese Hezbollah
bloc stated, “we know who we want to elect, and we are
individuals (87%) were charged with providing financial or
acting to ensure that this person accedes to the presidency.”
material support to Hezbollah, while 13% were charged
with operational support—including human smuggling,
Areas of Military Operation
weapons procurement, and surveillance. The report stated
Hezbollah is based in Lebanon and primarily operates in the
that Hezbollah’s activities in the United States are primarily
Middle East, though it has conducted attacks elsewhere.
financial, in collaboration with existing criminal networks.
Lebanon. According to U.S. government assessments,
Attacks on Israeli and Jewish Targets
Hezbollah controls access to parts of Lebanon and operates
inside the country with relative impunity. The group was
Over the past two decades, Hezbollah has periodically fired
implicated in the 2005 assassination of former Lebanese
rockets into northern Israel. Hezbollah rocket attacks
Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in a car bombing in downtown
reached a peak during the 2006 Hezbollah-Israel War,
Beirut that also killed 21 others. In 2011, the United
when, over the course of a 34-day period, the group
Nations-backed Special Tribunal for Lebanon (STL)
launched more than 4,000 rockets into northern Israel,
indicted four Hezbollah members in connection with the
killing 55 Israelis. Hezbollah also conducted cross-border
Hariri assassination and conducted trials in absentia.
raids on Israeli villages and military installations. All told,
the 2006 conflict killed an estimated 163 Israelis and more
Syria. Hezbollah has a long-standing relationship with the
than 1,000 Lebanese. The 2020 Country Reports on
Asad government in Syria, which facilitates the transit of
Terrorism estimates that Hezbollah may possess up to
weapons through its territory from Iran to Hezbollah. In
150,000 rockets, according to some Israeli estimates. Israeli
2013, Nasrallah acknowledged Hezbollah operations inside
assessments also have highlighted Hezbollah efforts to
Syria and pledged that the group would “do everything in
produce precision-guided missiles within Lebanon. Israel
[its] power” to ensure the Asad government’s survival.
has destroyed multiple Hezbollah tunnels leading from
Lebanon into Israel. Hezbollah has also been implicated in
Yemen. Hezbollah also provides weapons and training to
attacks on Israeli and Jewish targets outside Israel.
Houthi militants in Yemen. The Houthis have conducted
persistent ballistic missile and unmanned aerial vehicle
Legislation and Issues for Congress
(UAV) attacks against Iranian rivals Saudi Arabia and the
Congress has passed several measures authorizing
United Arab Emirates.
secondary sanctions against persons and entities that
facilitate financial transactions for Hezbollah, including the
Attacks and Threats to U.S. Interests
Hizballah International Financing Prevention Act of 2015
Hezbollah has been linked to a series of terrorist attacks
(P.L. 114-102, known as HIFPA), as amended by the
against U.S. personnel and facilities abroad, including the
Hizballah International Prevention Amendments Act of
truck bombing of the U.S. Embassy and Multinational
2018 (P.L. 115-272, sometimes referred to as HIFPA II).
Force barracks in Beirut in 1983, and the Embassy annex in
1984. Hezbollah also hijacked TWA Flight 847 and took
Members in the 117th Congress introduced several
roughly 100 foreign hostages between 1982 and 1992,
Hezbollah-related legislative measures, including the
including the CIA chief of station in Beirut, who later died
Hizballah Money Laundering Prevention Act of 2021 (S.
in their custody. U.S. officials have alleged that Hezbollah
1637); the Countering Hizballah in Lebanon’s Military Act
leaders were active in arming and training Shi’a militias
(H.R. 4073); the Hizballah in Latin America Accountability
that carried out attacks on U.S. forces in Iraq during
Act (H.R. 5039 and S. 1651); and the Strategic Lebanon
Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003 – 2010).
Security Reporting Act (H.R. 4230).
The 2022 Worldwide Threat Assessment of the U.S.
Some Members have questioned successive presidential
Intelligence Community stated that, “Hizballah seeks to
administrations regarding potential links between
reduce U.S. influence in Lebanon and the broader Middle
Hezbollah and the LAF, and regarding any possible
East, and maintains the capability to target U.S. persons and
diversions of U.S. security assistance. State Department
interests in the region, worldwide, and—to a lesser extent—
officials have described the LAF as “an institutional
in the United States.” In 2022 congressional testimony, FBI
counterweight to Hezbollah,” and reported that the LAF
Director Christopher Wray stated, “The arrests of
“continues to comply fully with all EUM reporting and
individuals in the United States allegedly linked to
security requirements.” The explanatory statement
Lebanese Hizballah’s main overseas terrorist arm, and their
accompanying the FY2023 omnibus bill states that, “As a
intelligence collection and procurement efforts, demonstrate
current recipient of United States foreign assistance, the
Lebanese Hizballah’s interest in long-term contingency
Lebanese Armed Forces are not controlled by a Foreign
planning activities here in the Homeland.” In a 2022
Terrorist Organization.”
statement for the record, Defense Intelligence Agency
Director Scott Berrier stated, “Hizballah probably will
Members may consider various measures to counter
direct an IJO attack in the homeland or against U.S.
Hezbollah influence in Lebanon. These measures could
interests abroad only if Hizballah or Iran perceives a threat
include efforts to reduce Lebanese domestic reliance on
to the group's existence.”
Hezbollah—for example via increased direct assistance to
local municipalities—or expanded secondary sanctions.
A 2022 joint study by George Washington University, West
Point, and the NCITE research center reported that 128
Carla E. Humud, Analyst in Middle Eastern Affairs
individuals linked to Hezbollah had been involved in U.S.
federal criminal cases between 1997 and 2020. Most
IF10703
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Lebanese Hezbollah
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