Hezbollah facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Islamic Resistance in Lebanon المقاومة الإسلامية في لبنان Al-Muqāwamah Al-Islāmīyah fī Lubnān
Secretary-General	Naim Qassem
Deputy Secretary-General	Vacant
Head of the Executive Council	Vacant
Founder	Subhi al-Tufayli Abbas al-Musawi X Hassan Nasrallah X
Founded	1985; 40 years ago (1985) (official)
Headquarters	Beirut, Lebanon
Religion	Shia Islam
National affiliation	March 8 Alliance
International affiliation	Axis of Resistance
Colours	Yellow and green
Seats in the Parliament	15 / 128 (12%)
Party flag

Hezbollah (which means "Party of Allah" or "Party of God" in Arabic) is a political party and armed group in Lebanon. It is led by its Secretary-General, Naim Qassem. Hezbollah has both a political side, called the Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc, and an armed side. Its armed group is considered very strong, similar to a medium-sized army.

Hezbollah was formed in 1985 by Lebanese religious leaders. Its main goal was to fight against the Israeli invasion of Lebanon that happened in 1982. The group was inspired by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 and received support from Iran. They worked to unite different Lebanese Shia groups to resist the Israeli presence in Southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah's History and Role

Hezbollah's early goals included removing foreign forces like Americans and French from Lebanon. From 1985 to 2000, they fought against the South Lebanon Army and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) in Southern Lebanon. They also fought the IDF again in the 2006 Lebanon War. In the 1990s, some Hezbollah members also helped fight in the Bosnian War.

Joining Lebanese Politics

Since 1990, Hezbollah has become a part of Lebanese politics. They have joined the government of Lebanon and formed political alliances. In 2008, they became part of a "national unity government." This gave them enough power to block decisions they disagreed with.

The Lebanese government also agreed that Hezbollah had the right to keep its armed group. This was to help them "liberate or recover occupied lands," like the Shebaa Farms. Hezbollah is part of a political group in Lebanon called the March 8 Alliance.

Support and Conflicts

Hezbollah has strong support among Lebanese Shia Muslims. However, some Lebanese Sunni Muslims do not agree with their goals. They also have some support in Christian areas of Lebanon.

Since 2012, Hezbollah has been involved in the Syrian civil war. They joined the Syrian government in fighting against opposition groups. They also sent fighters to Syria and Iraq to fight against the Islamic State between 2013 and 2015.

In the 2018 Lebanese election, Hezbollah and its allies won many seats in the Parliament of Lebanon.

Hezbollah's Strength and Influence

Even after Israel left South Lebanon, Hezbollah did not give up its weapons. Its armed group became even stronger than the Lebanese Army. Some people describe Hezbollah as a "state within a state" because it has so much power and influence.

Hezbollah has seats in the Lebanese government. It also runs its own radio station, Al-Nour, and a TV channel, Al-Manar. They also provide social services to people.

The group gets military training, weapons, and money from Iran. They also get political support from Syria. In 2021, Hezbollah's leader said the group had 100,000 fighters.

How Countries See Hezbollah

Many countries and groups have different views on Hezbollah. Some consider it a "terrorist organization," while others see it as a "resistance movement" or a "legitimate political force."

Countries that List Hezbollah as a Terror Group

The following entities have listed Hezbollah as a terror group:

Country	Listing	Ref
Argentina	The entire organization Hezbollah
Australia	The entire organization Hezbollah
Austria	The entire organization Hezbollah
Bahrain	The entire organization Hezbollah
Canada	The entire organization Hezbollah
Colombia	The entire organization Hezbollah
Czech Republic	The entire organization Hezbollah
Estonia	The entire organization Hezbollah
European Union	Hezbollah's military wing
France	Hezbollah's military wing, France considers the political wing as a legitimate sociopolitical organization
Germany	The entire organization Hezbollah
Gulf Cooperation Council	The entire organization Hezbollah
Guatemala	The entire organization Hezbollah
Honduras	The entire organization Hezbollah
Israel	The entire organization Hezbollah
Kosovo	Hezbollah's military wing
Lithuania	The entire organization Hezbollah
Netherlands	The entire organization Hezbollah
New Zealand	Hezbollah's military wing Al-Muqawama al-Islamiyya, since 2010
Paraguay	The entire organization Hezbollah
Serbia	The entire organization Hezbollah
Slovenia	The entire organization Hezbollah
United Arab Emirates	The entire organization Hezbollah
United Kingdom	The entire organization Hezbollah
United States	The entire organization Hezbollah

Countries that Do Not Consider Hezbollah a Terror Organization

The following entities do not consider Hezbollah a terror organization:

Arab League	The entire organization Hezbollah
Algeria	The entire organization Hezbollah
China	Maintains contacts with Hezbollah
Cuba	Hezbollah allegedly operates a base in Cuba
Iran
North Korea	Allegedly supports Hezbollah. Considers Hezbollah an organization of Lebanese patriotic forces
Russia	Considers Hezbollah a legitimate sociopolitical organization
Syria

See also

• Politics of Lebanon
• 2023 Israel–Hamas war