Hezbollah is the largest and well armed non state actor in the world. It is a Lebanese Shia Islamist political party and militia. They formed in 1982 to fight against the Israeli occupation of Southern Lebanon (1982 – 2000). Palestinian militants had taken advantage of the chaos and lack of government control during the Lebanese Civil War (1975 – 1990) to launch attacks against Israel from Southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah was financed and trained by the Ayatollah Khomeini and Iranian forces.

Prior to the Israeli Occupation, during the Lebanese Civil Wa,r Marionite Christian and Druze militias were attacked by Palestinian militias (primarily the PLO). Syria became involved in the conflict and occupied an Eastern section of the country (see map).

Hezbollah articulated its ideology in a 1985 manifesto published during the Lebanese Civil War, which outlined the group’s key goals: the expulsion of Western influences, the destruction of Israel, allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader, and the establishment of an Iran-influenced Islamist government, while emphasizing Lebanese self-determination Wikipedia

The March 14 Alliance in 2005 formed a coalition government in Lebanon. They are opposed to the pro-Syrian (Hezbollah) March 8 Alliance. In February of 2006 the two alliances formed a pact of understanding as Syria had withdrawn forces from their country.

During the 2006 Hezbollah war with Israel Hezbollah used its missile capability, mostly Russian Katyusha rockets and launched 3,970-4,228 missiles at Israel. The damage in Israel was estimated at $3.3 billion. Thirty-nine Israeli civilians were killed. Hezbollah launched a car bomb attack against the Israeli embassy in Brazil killing 28 and injuring 242. Hezbollah routinely raids for hostages, uses suicide bombers and launches rockets into Israel.

The Syrian Civil War against the rule of Bashir al Assad began in 2012. It pits the Free Syria Army (FSA) and various groups against Assad’s regime. Assad is backed by Hezbollah, the Russian Federation and Iran. To make the situation more complicated ISIS has operated extensively in Syria, mostly with attacks against the FSA and it’s Kurd allies. Syrian refugees and former prisoners have reported mass rapes by government forces and Hezbollah.

Various posts by Syrians praising Israeli actions on X surfaced about Hezbollah leader Hussein Ali Ghandour, killed by an Israeli air strike, who was known as the “Butcher of Madaya” in Syria and was responsible for starving Syrians and burying them alive.

“Rape of women and girls was documented in 20 government political and military intelligence branches, and rape of men and boys was documented in 15 branches,” the U.N. war crimes investigators said. Reuters

According to the U.S. State Department, Iranian government forces – including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Iranian Basij Resistance Force (Basij) – as well as armed groups that the Iranian government has led or supported – including the Fatemiyoun Brigade, Asa’ib Ahl al-Haq, Harakat Hezbollah al-Nujaba, Abu Fadhl al-Abbas Brigade, and Houthis – have used and recruited child soldiers – Stimson.org

It seems there were enough souls left over from the Iran Iraq War for the giants of Mordor to have some reborn in Southern Lebanon – Another Army of Rapists

Related / Sources

• Would women of Aleppo choose death over rape? Fathers are asking scholars if its permissible to kill their daughters before they are captured by Assad, Hezbollah Al Arabiya
• ‘They slaughtered, raped and buried us alive’: Syrians praise blows to Hezbollah YNET.com
• Timeline of Terror; A Concise History of Hezbollah Atrocities HenryJacksonSociety.org
• Hezbollah condemned for ‘attack on Syrian villages‘ BBC
• Rape during the Syrian civil war Wikipedia
• Thousands of women, men, children raped in Syria’s war – U.N. report Reuters
• ‘We Can’t Forgive Hezbollah for the Blood It Spilled in Syria Just Because It Is Fighting for Gaza’ Haaretz