Global Arab Network - Hezbollah rose to a position of unprecedented dominance in Lebanon's government, giving its main patrons - Syria and Iran - greater power in the country and in the region.

On Monday, after five months without a functioning government, Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced a cabinet in which Shiite Hezbollah – a US designated terrorist organization - and its allies hold the majority of seats. [1]

"Lebanon is a country now being held hostage by the Syrian regime and Hezbollah", a Lebanese opposition leader said on Tuesday. [2]

Syrian President Bashar Assad and Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi welcomed the new cabinet. [3] The new Lebanese Prime Minister promised to pursue good relations with Syria. [4]

Iran's long arm

Hezbollah was established by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) in 1982. Over the years, Iran and Syria have turned the Shiite militant group into an effective military force, providing it with training and weapons, as well as political, diplomatic, and organizational aid. [5]

Hezbollah helps Tehran and Damascus advance their agendas in the region and beyond. Iran views its Lebanese proxy “as an essential partner for advancing its regional policy objectives”, the Pentagon said in a 2010 report. [6]

Analysts note that Hezbollah has stretched across the Middle East, Central Asia, Europe, Latin America and Africa. [7]

Former CIA Director George Tenet testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee in 2003 that "Hezbollah, as an organization with capability and worldwide presence, is [al-Qaeda's] equal, if not a far more capable organization." [8]

"Hezbollah has more rockets than most states"

Iran provides roughly $100-200 million per year to support Hezbollah and has trained thousands of the group's fighters at camps in Iran. [9] Since the end of the 2006 Israeli-Hezbollah war, Iran has assisted Hezbollah in rearming, in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701. [10]

It is estimated that Hezbollah now has about 40,000 rockets. [11] According to US Defense Secretary Robert Gates, Hezbollah is armed with more missiles and rockets than most states, possibly with chemical or biological warheads. He also warned that Hezbollah cruise missiles with a range of 65 miles could threaten US ships. [12]

Earlier this year the Washington Post has obtained a map detailing 550 bunkers, 300 surveillance sites and 100 other facilities in Lebanon Israel believes belong to Hezbollah. [13]

Indeed, Hezbollah claims to have a larger arsenal today than it did in 2006. [14] In February 2007 Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah admitted that his organization was rearming and secretly transporting arms to the south of the country. [15]

These weapons flow from Iran through Syria, and directly from Syria, to Hezbollah. [16]

Hezbollah obedient to Iran

Senior Iranian officials have openly acknowledged Tehran's support to its Lebanese proxy.

In January 2011, Iran's Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani said, "It is Iran’s policy to fight against the global arrogance and support the oppressed, so we say openly that we back Hezbollah and Hamas". [17]

Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior advisor to Iran's Supreme Leader, was quoted as saying, "I can tell you with complete sincerity that Iran fully and comprehensively supported Hezbollah, and Hezbollah feels indebted to the [Iranian] leadership". [18]

Hezbollah officials, for their part, have stated that the group follows the guidance of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei. A senior Hezbollah figure said that the group's Secretary-General Nasrallah views obedience to Iran's Supreme Leader "as a principle". [19] And according to the organization's Deputy Secretary-General Naim Qassem, Hezbollah also requires permission for operations from the leadership in Tehran. [20]

Global Arab Network

Source: Realite-EU