Arman Mahmoudian, a researcher of Russia and the Middle East at the University of South Florida and the "Global National Security Institute" (GNSI) explained that at the beginning in 1982, Hezbollah's main mission was in southern Lebanon, populated mostly by Shiites, against the IDF and the Free Lebanese Army.
However, over time, Hezbollah became the strongest player in Lebanon in particular, and in the region in general.
Hezbollah grew as a result of the United States' war on terror, specifically the 2003 invasion and occupation of Iraq.
The American presence in Iraq, strategically located between Iran and Syria, increased the sense of vulnerability of both countries, leading them to increase their ability to attack the US. READ MORE
