Understanding Hezbollah, Israel’s ‘Best Enemy’

September’s pager attacks in Lebanon, which killed over 30 and injured thousands, was the result of months, or more likely years, of preparation. Israel now seems intent on escalating its war with Hezbollah, ignoring warnings from its US backers and even targeting UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon.

So what does Israel hope to achieve this time, nearly 20 years after its last failed ground offensive in Lebanon? And how should we understand its adversary, a political party that also functions as a fighting force, a historical movement, and a regional power?

Richard Hames is joined by Elia Ayoub, a Lebanese-Palestinian researcher and writer based in the UK, to sketch the political roots and strategic goals of Hezbollah.

He explains the group’s complex links with Iran and Syria, why the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah was a PR win, and how Hezbollah became Israel’s ‘best enemy’.

Elia is the author of the Hauntologies newsletter, the founder of The Fire These Times podcast and a co-founder of the From the Periphery media collective.