Running head: ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 1
Analysis of Hezbollah
Georgetown University
Hezbollah also known as the "Party
of God," is a political and militant Shia
Muslim group based in Lebanon. It was
created in 1982 to oppose the western and
The flag of Hezbollah (Encyclopaedia, Britanica)
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 2
Israeli influence in the Middle East after Israel invaded Lebanon during the First Lebanon War.
When Hezbollah was created, it was heavily influenced by Iran, and it is known to be a proxy for
Iran. Because of Iran's support, Hezbollah is known as the world's most heavily armed non-state
actor and described as "a militia trained like an army and equipped like a state." (Shaiks S,2019)
Hezbollah's goal is to create a global Islamic State and force out Western and Israeli influences
out of the Middle East. To achieve this goal, Hezbollah has conducted multiple terrorist activities
against Israel, American, and foreign entities. Some of Hezbollah's attacks include the 1983
attack on U.S. Marine Barracks in Lebanon, the 1992 suicide bombing at the Israeli Embassy in
Buenos Aires, Argentina, and multiple international terrorist attacks. Also, Hezbollah was
responsible for killing the most American until September 11, 2001. Because of its transnational
terrorist attacks, the United States and other countries designated Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization and placed sanctions against Hezbollah. While conducting the terrorist attacks,
Hezbollah expanded its presence in the southern part of Lebanon and started to participate in
politics. In 2018, Hezbollah backed "March 8th Coalition" became the majority party in
Lebanon, which poses a significant threat to the United States and its allies. (CEP, 2020)
Organizational Structure
The current structure of Hezbollah comprised the Shura Council at the top, with five
subordinate specialized councils. The councils consist of Executive, Judicial, Parliamentary,
Political, and Jihad Councils. (Eye on Hezbollah) Each Council has several sub-councils that
handle Hezbollah's business in several manners. This structure allows the Shiite organization to
run its "state within a state" in a relatively efficient and organized manner.
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 3
Organizational structure of Hezbollah
Shura Council is the central decision-making authority on the national level. It oversees
the overall operation and decides on the overall strategies, politics, vision, and direction
of Hezbollah. Shura Council's decision has religious binding on its party members. (Eye
on Hezbollah). The Council only answers to the Supreme Leader of Iran, and in case of a
deadlock, it refers to the Supreme Leader.
Executive Council oversees Hezbollah's daily operations, all cultural, educational, social,
and political affairs. (Eye on Hezbollah) The Council oversees the party's various units
throughout Lebanon. It also manages eight subunits that support the daily function of the
party. The subunits consist of the Information and Media Unit, the Social Unit, the Edu-
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 4
cation Unit, the Islamic Health Unit, the Finance Unit, the Unions Unit, the External Re-
lations Unit, and the Affiliation and Coordination Unit (Eye on Hezbollah).
Jihad Council's primary function is to monitor, supervise, and direct its attacks to Hezbol-
lah's enemies and secure Hezbollah's territory. It is also in charge of recruitment, training,
equipment, security, or other resistance-related endeavors. (Eye on Hezbollah)
Judicial Council oversees imposing Islamic laws. With Hezbollah occupying Lebanon
and parts of Beirut, it needed an entity to enforce Islamic Laws. The Council also pro-
vides free legal services and has its court system. The Council has the authority to arrest,
imprison, and execute, depending on the nature and severity of the crime. (Eye on
Hezbollah)
Parliamentary Council enforces party discipline and strengthens the effectiveness of
Hezbollah's elected representatives in the Lebanese Parliament. The Shura Council de-
cides Hezbollah's nominees and candidates for parliamentary elections. Once the candi-
date is elected, Shura Council's decisions bound the member and wishes of the Shura, and
their political views must reflect those of the Council and the Party. (Eye on Hezbollah)
Political Council is an advisory council assisting the Secretary-General and the Shura
Council. The Council's duty is to follow up on the party's day-to-day political activities,
put together its political programs and electoral platforms, organizes campaign commit-
tees, and establishes and maintains its political alliances. (Eye on Hezbollah)
Due to its well-organized structure, Hezbollah was able to coordinate successful attacks.
Whenever there is going to be an attack, the Shura Council must approve the attacks, and
the Jihad Council will oversee the operation. Because of its coordination, Hezbollah was able to
conduct complicated and large-scale attacks like the attack on Marine barracks and the hijacking
of TWA flight 847 independently. Not only that, but the Hezbollah is also well-coordinated
internally, it can coordinate with the Lebanese and Syrian military. Since 2011, Hezbollah played
a significant role in keeping Bashar al-Assad in power when the uprisings threatened his rule.
Since then, Hezbollah started to train and fight alongside Yemen, Syria, and Iraq and showed the
ability to coordinate with other countries. (Cambanis & Ghaddar, 2017) In 2017, Hezbollah led a
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 5
coalition force of Lebanese and Syrian military against the ISIS in the Lebanese town of Arsal.
Hezbollah orchestrated a political relations campaign before the attack and put together a
coalition force of the Lebanese and Syrian military led by a non-state actor. The coordinated
attack was effective, and it drove out the ISIS out of the town within a week.
(Cambanis&Ghaddar,2017) In Arsal and Mosul and Raqqa, the coalition forces have been
campaigning against the ISIS, Al Qaeda, and other jihadist organizations. With the success of the
coalition forces against ISIS and other jihadist organizations, Hezbollah proved its ability to
coordinate internally and externally in an effective manner.
Hezbollah’s structure also helps with recruitment. Hezbollah provides numerous social
welfare programs that assist the community with everyday operations. The social program
comprises of Social Unit, the Education Unit, and the Islamic Health Unit that make up an
elaborate network of service providers. Due to this environment, many young children are raised
in environments that venerate Hezbollah and participates in many activities sponsored by
Hezbollah. Many young Shias naturally gravitate toward Hezbollah and join the group when they
turn eighteen years old. (Blanford, 2017) Also, Hezbollah’s youth wing, the “Mahdi Scouts,”
runs summer camps, field trips, and religious holiday programs that indoctrinate support for
Shiite and Hezbollah ideology. (CEP, 2020) The structure of Hezbollah and its social reach
programs provide a steady number of recruits to maintain its manpower and its operation.
Leader of Hezbollah
Hezbollah's leader is Hassan Nasrallah. Nasrallah
was raised in the Karantina district of Eastern Beirut. Since
he was a child, Nasrallah was a devoted student of Islam.
After civil war broke out in Lebanon in 1975, he has his
family flee south from Beirut. After escaping from Beirut,
Nasrallah joined Amal, a Lebanese Shi i paramilitary groupʿ
with ties to Iran and Syria. (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
After being part of Amal for years, Nasrallah left Amal and
Hassan Nasrallah (Encyclopaedia
Britannica)
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 6
joined Hezbollah, a more -radical force that heavily influenced the Islamic Revolution in Iran.
After joining Hezbollah, Nasrallah rose through Hezbollah's military ranks and became a leading
figure in Hezbollah. In 1992, he assumed the leadership of Hezbollah in 1992 after his
predecessor Sheikh Abbas al-Musawi, was killed by an Israeli missile. (Encyclopaedia ʿ
Britannica)
After Nasrallah took power, he reaffirmed the goal of Hezbollah. Nasrallah stated, "Our
plan, to which we, as faithful believers, have no alternative, is to establish an Islamic state under
the rule of Islam. Lebanon should not be an Islamic republic on its own, but rather, part of the
Greater Islamic Republic, governed by the Master of Time [the Mahdi], and his rightful deputy,
the Jurisprudent Ruler, Imam Khomeini." (Nasrallah, 2010) This statement shows that
Hezbollah's main objective is to create a global Islamic State by forcing out Western and Israeli
influences. Nasrallah also created numerous social warfare programs, which helped with the
broad grassroots support. Nasrallah is also responsible for steering the organization into national
politics, and he became a political leader without holding public office. Nasrallah continued to
gain population with successful operations against Israel, and Hezbollah started to take over the
Lebanese government. Hezbollah and its allies were known as March 8 bloc, held enough seats
for a veto, and played a dominant role in forming a unity government. (Encyclopaedia
Britannica)
Transnational Crimes/White Collar Crimes
Overall, Hezbollah's money comes from five primary sources: Supreme Leader Ali
Khamenei, Iran as a state, its foreign economic empire, the khums, where Shia Muslims pay one-
fifth of their excess income to Iranian religious authority, and parallel economy inside Lebanon.
(Bakeer, 2019) The annual budget of Hezbollah is unknown due to a lack of transparency.
However, it is estimated that 70-80% of Hezbollah's budget comes from Iran, approximately
$700 million annually. Because of the generous funding, Hezbollah has been an effective proxy
for Iran to spread its influences in the Middle East and disrupt Israeli-Palestinian peace.
Hezbollah also started to fund itself by forming a transnational criminal organization on several
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 7
continents from Africa to Latin American to Asia. Its activities include drug dealing, money
laundering, construction, and contracting business, among others.
Drug Dealing
Drug trafficking has been lucrative for Hezbollah. In 2009, US Southern Command noted
that Hezbollah expanded its drug operations to West Africa. After Hezbollah got involved in drug
trafficking in West Africa, the European Market grew four-folds. The United Nations Office on
Drugs and Crime estimated that cocaine trafficking in West and Central Africa generates some
$900 million annually. U.S. investigations have also revealed that Hezbollah is a significant
player in the transit of drugs and money from South America to Europe and the Middle East via
West Africa. (Levitt, 2013) Despite the U.S. government’s disturbance, Hezbollah continues it
drug trafficking operations. In 2010, two Lebanese individuals were arrested with 10 million
euros while they tried to smuggle the money to Hezbollah (Jewish Virtual Library). Also, in
2011, the U.S. government seized drug profit linked to a drug dealer and money launderer linked
to Hezbollah, making $200 million per month. Hezbollah is heavily invested in the drug
trafficking and it brings huge amount of fund to them.
Illicit Tobacco Trade
In 2002, US federal authorities charged 18 people for illicit tobacco activities. These
people were smuggling cigarettes from North Carolina to Michigan, where cigarettes are sold at
a higher price due to higher taxes. These smugglers were identified as Hezbollah operatives, and
they have sent more than $ 1.5 million to Hezbollah since 1996. (CEP, 2020)
Forgery
To operate in a transnational sense, Hezbollah started to create counterfeit currencies and
fake documents. FBI found out that Hezbollah was printing counterfeit American $100 bills and
European €200. Later FBI found out that Hezbollah's counterfeiting operation also included
currency from Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, and the EU. The FBI source also revealed that Hezbollah
was able to create fake European documents as well. The forgery operation extended to forged
passports and visa stamps. (Levitt, 2013) Also, through this operation, the FBI found that
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 8
Hezbollah sold stolen currencies. The FBI confiscated stolen U.S. dollars, a Swedish krona bill
with stains from a dye pack security system used by banks to mark stolen funds. The Swedish
currency was part of a $2 million bank heist Hezbollah supporters pulled off in Sweden.
Apparently, Hezbollah cells all around the world conduct robberies and send them to Iran, which
ends up in Hezbollah's pocket. (Levitt, 2013)
Money Laundering
To launder the money from illicit activities, Hezbollah utilized used car scheme, where
criminal proceeds from Lebanon to buy used cars in the U.S. and sell them in West Africa. With
this operation, Hezbollah was able to launder as much as $200 million a month from the sale of
cocaine in Europe and the Middle East through operations located in Lebanon, West Africa,
Panama, and Columbia, using money-exchange houses, bulk cash smuggling, and other schemes.
(Levitt, 2013) The DEA found out this operation was going on through Lebanese Canadian Bank
(LCB) account sophisticated trade-based money laundering schemes were executed. The U.S.
Authorities seized $150 million from the bank. (CEP, 2020)
Cyber Attack
Hezbollah pioneered in cyber operation as a tool of coercion and continues to use the
internet as an effective weapon against the Western adversaries. During the 34- day Israel-
Hezbollah War, Hezbollah launched cyber-attacks against websites in multiple countries that
supported Israel. The attacks were focused on spreading Hezbollah propaganda against Israel and
Western Zionist countries while gathering financial donations from their supporters. ( Schaefer,
2018) Also, Hezbollah is under suspicion for the “Volatile Cedar” cyber-attacks. It was a cyber-
attack targeted Israel, several Western countries and other Mideast states from 2012 to 2014. The
attacker used a Trojan horse malware to spy and collect data over extended periods. Israel found
this operation originated from a hosting company in Lebanon, possibly linked to Hezbollah.
(Opall-Rome, 2017)
Violence
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 9
On top of white-collar crimes, Hezbollah is well known for its long history of violence.
As aforementioned, Hezbollah’s goal is to expel Israel and Western countries out of Lebanon and
the Middle East and create a global Islamic State. To achieve this goal, Hezbollah conducted
numerous terrorist attacks globally.
Violence against Israel
Hezbollah claims that “the Zionist entity,” which it maintains, is built on land
aggressively “wrested from” its rightful owners while Israel trampled “the rights of the Muslim
people.” (CEP, 2020) Since the inception of Hezbollah, it considered Israel as the enemy and
conducted numerous terrorist attacks against Israeli and Jewish communities. Some of the
noticeable attacks include suicide bombing at the Israeli embassy in Argentina in 1992, a suicide
bombing at the Argentine Jewish Mutual Association (AMIA) in Buenos Aires in 1994, and a
2006 cross-border attack, which escalated to a summer war with Israel. (CEP, 2020). During the
war, Hezbollah fired thousands of rockets to Israel. Even after the war has ended, Hezbollah
continues to attack Israel with missiles, IEDs, and drones. Hezbollah’s violence against Israel
continues as the Hezbollah fired antitank missiles into Avivim, Israel, prompting Israel to return
fire with attack helicopters and about 100 artillery shells in southern Lebanon in September of
2019.
Violence against the United States
Hezbollah views the United States as one of the biggest opponents against their goal of
creating an Islamic State. To kick the western and United States out of the Middle East,
Hezbollah conducted several attacks against the United States and Western troops in the Middle
East. Hezbollah attacked the U.S. embassy in Beirut, and a suicide truck bombed U.S. Marine
barracks in 1983. (CEP, 2020) Even though these were the only attacks conducted by Hezbollah
against the United States, it does not mean the Hezbollah is not a threat to the United States. In
2017, the United States arrested Kourani and Samer el Debek for plotting a terrorist attack in the
United States homeland. Hezbollah deployed Kourani to the United States as an operative for the
Islamic Jihad Organization, Hezbollah's external attack-planning component. (Department of
Justice, 2019) He acted as a "sleeper cell" and carried out operational activities in the United
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 10
States. Kourani's operation included identifying Israelis in New York to target, procuring arms to
stockpile, surveilling buildings housing the FBI and U.S. Secret Service in Manhattan, and New
York's John F. Kennedy International Airport and a U.S. Army armory. (Levitt, 2019) Kourani
informed the FBI, "there would be certain scenarios that would require action or conduct by
those who belonged to the cell." Kourani also stated that if the United States and Iran went to
war, the U.S. sleeper cell would expect to be called upon to act. (Levitt,2019) Also, Kourani
operated in Canada and Mexico before his assignment to the United States. Before coming into
the United States, Kourani was sent to Canada to prepare terrorist attacks and stated that
Hezbollah activities are much more prevalent in Canada. El Debek was arrested in Livonia,
Michigan, outside of Detroit, for providing, attempting, and conspiring to provide material
support to Hezbollah. (Department of Justice, 2017). El Debek was collecting, explosives, a
rocket-propelled grenade launcher, and machine guns; and violating and conspiring to violate
IEEPA. (Department of Justice, 2017) Before his assignment in the United States, El Debek was
active in Thailand and Panama. These two arrests revealed that Hezbollah was planning a
terrorist attack on the United States and its allies, and it poses a severe threat. With the United
States' continuous sanctions and pressure against Iran and the drone strike that killed General
Qassem Soleimani and other essential military personnel, Hezbollah's focus will be shifted
toward the United States and its allies. After the U.S. drone strike, Nasrallah publicly announced
that the U.S. military across the region "will pay the price" and said that U.S. bases, warships,
and soldiers in the Middle East were all fair targets (Abdul-Zahara, Mroue, 2020). Then later that
week, Hezbollah launched missiles and mortars at the American Green Zone, where the U.S. and
other embassies are located.
Links to terrorist organizations
As the Hezbollah declared war against Israel and the Zionist west, it has several
connections with other Islamic Jihadist groups. In the 1990s, Osama bin Laden and Imad
Mugniyeh leader of al-Qaeda and Hezbollah met and agreed that Hezbollah would provide
explosives and training to al-Qaeda in exchange for money and manpower. Then, it was noted
that Hezbollah helped al-Qaeda traffic its assets through Africa in the form of diamonds and
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 11
golds shortly after the 9/11 attacks. Both groups collaborated in gun-running, money laundering,
and training. (Kaplan, 2006) However, the cooperation between al-Qaeda and Hezbollah did not
last due to differences in religious beliefs. Al Qaeda’s Sunni ideology regards Shiites as heretics
and profoundly distrust Shiite groups like Hezbollah. (Haykel, 2006). Both organizations’ leaders
have criticized other groups, and violence has committed by both sides. Due to differences in
beliefs and violent history, experts believe that cooperation between Hezbollah and al-Qaeda is
unlikely. (Haykel, 2006) However, many Sunni groups, including Hamas, the Muslim
Brotherhood in Egypt, and Jordan, are rallying to Hezbollah’s side since Hezbollah has defeated
Israel in Lebanon and has an affluent amount of resources. (Haykel, 2006) Hamas military leader
Mohammed Deif reportedly called for Hezbollah and Hamas to unite in battling Israel, and
Hamas even signed an Iranian statement of support for Hezbollah. Other terrorist organizations
such as Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH) and Polisario Front pledged allegiance to Hezbollah. (CEP,
2020)
Designation
Hezbollah is designated as a terrorist organization by a large portion of the international
community. This designation provides the legal framework to sanction Hezbollah personnel,
companies, and other affiliated entities. The U.S. has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization since 1995 after holding Hezbollah responsible for several attacks, including the
bombing of the U.S. Embassy in Beirut and the bombing of the U.S. Marine barrack. The
designation has been a vital tool to fight against terrorism and an effective method to curtail the
support of terrorist activities. The United States Department of States' Foreign Terrorist
Organization designation prohibits any U.S. personnel to knowingly provide "material support or
resources" to a designated FTO and prevent a member of possible terrorist from entering the
country. (United States Department of State) After the United States designated Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization, many Western countries recognized Hezbollah as a legitimate terrorist
organization and started to place sanctions against Hezbollah. Many countries, including France,
the Gulf Cooperation Council, Canada, the Netherlands, and Israel, classified Hezbollah as a
terrorist organization and placed some kinds of restriction or sanction against Hezbollah. Also,
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 12
the European Union and the United Kingdom and Germany only designated the military wing as
a terrorist organization. However, both Germany and the United Kingdom designated Hezbollah
in its entirety as a terrorist organization. (CEP, 2020) However, not every country recognizes
Hezbollah as a terrorist organization. The United Nations Security Council has never listed
Hezbollah as a terrorist organization even though some of its members have done so individually.
Russia considers Hezbollah as a legitimate sociopolitical organization, and China remains neutral
and continues to maintain contact with Hezbollah. Besides, many Arab and Muslim world view
Hezbollah as a legitimate resistance movement and support them. (Committee on Foreign
Relations, 2010) Due to the different opinions about Hezbollah, there has not been a united effort
against Hezbollah. Even though many countries cut off ties and blacklist Hezbollah, other
countries are still supporting Hezbollah, making it harder to dismantle the organized crime
group.
Conclusion
Hezbollah, a Shia Islamist political group and militant group in Lebanon, poses a
complex issue to the United States and its allies. Despite its classification as a terrorist
organization, it is recognized as a legitimate political party within Lebanon and holds a
significant political power due to Iran’s support. Hezbollah also conducts various transnational
criminal activities, including drug dealing, money laundering, and forgery, to sustain itself and its
mission to create a global Islamic State. To achieve its goal, Hezbollah has been conducting
terrorist attacks against the Western Zionists and even went to war with Israel. In order to stop
Hezbollah from committing transnational crimes and terrorist attacks, there needs to be a united
effort from multiple countries and international communities. However, multiple countries
recognized Hezbollah as a legitimate political party and a sociopolitical organization, so
international organizations like the United Nations Security Council cannot take any action
against Hezbollah to deter its terrorist and criminal activities. Therefore, the United States and its
allies need to watch Hezbollah’s activities and disturb its operations before it elevates its terrorist
and criminal activities.
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 13
References
Bakeer, A. (2019, January 29). Hezbollah's Finances are Its Achilles' Heel. Retrieved August 02,
2020, from https://nationalinterest.org/feature/hezbollahs-finances-are-its-achilles-heel-
42462
Cambanis, T., & Ghaddar, S. (2017, July 28). Strengthened by War, Hezbollah Displays Regional
Power. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://tcf.org/content/commentary/strengthened-war-hezbollah-displays-regional-
power/?agreed=1
The Counter Extremism Project. (2020, July 22). Hezbollah. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://www.counterextremism.com/threat/hezbollah
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, November 20). Hezbollah. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Hezbollah
Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019, November 21). Hassan Nasrallah. Retrieved August 02, 2020,
from https://www.britannica.com/biography/Hassan-Nasrallah
Eye on Hezbollah. (n.d.). Organizational Chart. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://hezbollah.org/organizational-chart
Haykel, B. (2006, July 26). The Enemy of My Enemy Is Still My Enemy. Retrieved August 04,
2020, from https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/ref/opinion/26haykel.html?
_r=0
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 14
Jewish Virtual Library. (n.d.). Hezbollah: History & Overview. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/history-and-overview-of-hezbollah
Kaplan, E. (2006, August 10). The Al-Qaeda-Hezbollah Relationship. Retrieved August 04,
2020, from https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/al-qaeda-hezbollah-relationship
Levitt, M. (2013). Hezbollah as a Criminal Organisation. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://www.washingtoninstitute.org/policy-analysis/view/hezbollah-as-a-criminal-
organisation
Nasrallah, H. (2010, October 13). ARCHIVAL – Hassan Nasrallah in the Late 1980s: Lebanon
Should Become Part of the Greater Islamic Republic Ruled by Leader of Iran, Who
Should Appoint All Islamic Rulers. Retrieved August 02, 2020, from
https://www.memri.org/reports/archival-%E2%80%93-hassan-nasrallah-late-1980s-
lebanon-should-become-part-greater-islamic-republic
Opall-Rome, B. (2017, August 08). Israel Confirms It Was Cyber Attack Target. Retrieved
August 06, 2020, from https://www.defensenews.com/2015/06/24/israel-confirms-it-was-
cyber-attack-target/
Schaefer, B. (2019, July 22). The Cyber Party of God: How Hezbollah Could Transform
Cyberterrorism. Retrieved August 06, 2020, from
https://georgetownsecuritystudiesreview.org/2018/03/11/the-cyber-party-of-god-how-
hezbollah-could-transform-cyberterrorism/
Shakis, S. (2019, September 27). Missiles and Rockets of Hezbollah. Retrieved August 02, 2020,
from https://missilethreat.csis.org/country/hezbollahs-rocket-arsenal/.
ANALYSIS OF HEZBOLLAH 15
