ABSTRACT
The Iranian-based, Shi’ia movement migrated into Lebanon following the state’s independence from British rule in 1943. This chapter reviews Hezbollah’s rise to power and concludes with the beginning events of the 2006 Second Lebanon War. It analyzes Hezbollah’s military and political gains in its sanctuary state, and its use of military force against one of the world’s most advanced militaries – the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF). The IDF’s withdrawal from Beirut in 1984 created a political vacuum that facilitated Hezbollah’s growing political power at the expense of the weakened Lebanese government. The emboldened group found success in conducting outright attacks against Southern Lebanese Army and IDF locations in southern Lebanon intended to cause both entities to leave the area.
