Hezbollah

Hezbollah was created in 1982 by a group of Lebanese Shia Muslim religious and militant figures to try to drive Israel out of Lebanon and establish an Islamic State, on the model of the Islamic Republic in Iran. It garnered power, funding, and armament from Iran and local support from the Shia community. Hezbollah continued to fight Israel after the civil war until Israel withdrew in 2000 as it was one of the few militia groups that avoided disarmament, with the support of the Syrian regime that was controlling Lebanese politics from 1990 to 2005. A 34-day war between Hezbollah and Israel occurred in July 2006 when more than 1,100 Lebanese civilians were killed. Since 2012, Hezbollah has been involved in the Syrian conflict, fighting alongside regime forces. Hezbollah's official media outlets include Al-Manar TV, Al-Nour radio, and Al-Ahed News website, through the Lebanese Communication Group L.C.G. SAL. Hezbollah also controls a web of different charities, schools, hospitals, construction companies, and social services providers. In addition to relying on a large electronic army online to pursue its communication and military goals, Hezbollah has widely utilized its media networks in the pursuit of responding to and confronting the popular demonstrations and protests which escalated in Lebanon following the October 17, 2019 uprising and the August 4, 2020 port explosion.