(Reuters] – Since its establishment in 1982, Hezbollah’s Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah worked in close cooperation with Iran throughout the Middle East. This is what you should know about the Middle East’s most significant relationships today.

What is HEZBOLLAH?

The group was founded by Iran’s Revolutionary Guards in 1982, to promote its Islamic Revolution and fight Israeli troops that invaded Lebanon the same year.

Hezbollah is a Shi’ite Islamist organization that shares Tehran’s Shi’ite ideology. It views Ayatollah Ahmad Ali Khamenei, Iran’s Supreme Leader as its spiritual and political guide.

Hezbollah was classified as a terrorist group by the United States of America and Western countries. Hezbollah also has a formidable military wing which, it admits, is funded and armed in Iran.

This group has an impressive intelligence apparatus as well and patrols its areas in south Beirut, southern Lebanon and the borders with Syria.

Hezbollah, one of Lebanon’s dominant Shi’ite party Hezbollah, has members in parliament as well as ministers in government. In 2018, Hezbollah won the parliamentary majority with its allies.

It runs a chain of retail stores and a building company. It runs several schools and clinics.

This group has become more powerful over the past four decades than the Lebanese government. It has mostly been defined by conflicts with Israel.

Hezbollah militants pushed Israel from Lebanon 2000. In 2006, they fired 4,000 rockets on Israel. This was in the middle of a 34 day war. Hezbollah is now a stronger force.

They are accused of attacking targets far beyond Lebanon.

Argentina has blamed Iran and Hezbollah for both the bombing in 1994 of a Jewish community centre in Buenos Aires, where 85 people were killed. Also for an attack in 1992 on the Israeli embassy at Buenos Aires which resulted in the deaths of 29 people. Both deny responsibility.

Hezbollah was accused by Bulgaria of carrying out the bomb attack on five Israeli tourists killed in Burgas, Black Sea in 2012. Hezbollah denied involvement.

HEZBOLLAH: HOW DOES IT HELP IRAN?

Hezbollah is a powerful tool for Iran’s projection of power in the region. Sayyed Hassan Narallah is its secretary general. Hezbollah’s role in Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” is to oppose Israel and its Arab allies.

Nasrallah is a charismatic speaker who helps organize and rally Tehran’s Arab allies.

Hezbollah’s close ties to Iran are clearly illustrated by its 2013 participation in the war on Syria with Tehran as part of their defense of President Bashar al-Assad.

Hezbollah, in Iraq, has publicly admitted it had supported Shi’ite paramilitaries backed Iran.

Hezbollah supported Iran-aligned Houthis fighting with a Saudi alliance in Yemen. This is according to an official coalition fighting in Yemen. Hezbollah denies that it has sent weapons to Yemen in 2017, according to a Saudi-led coalition fighting in the country.

Hezbollah acknowledged also supporting Hamas in Palestine.

DID LEBANON MEET THERE COMMUNITY RESPONSIBILITIES?

Hezbollah has made Iran a key player in Lebanon. This is a country where many countries, including the United States of America, Russia, Syria, Saudi Arabia and others, have been competing for influence for decades.

Lebanese security personnel and intelligence claim they are linked to Hezbollah. These attacks forced the United States to withdraw troops from Lebanon by 1980s. Hezbollah denied or confirmed responsibility.

Hezbollah was more prominently present in Lebanese politics after Rafik alHariri’s murder and the withdrawal from Lebanon of Syrian troops.

An U.N. court found evidence against Hezbollah leadership, but convicted Hariri last year of conspiring in Hariri’s murder.

Hezbollah denies any involvement in Hariri’s death and accuses the tribunal of being used by its enemies Israel and the United States.

Lebanon, Hezbollah’s home country, is crucial for both Iran and the group. Hezbollah uses its political, and sometimes its military power to stop threats from Lebanese opponents who claim its massive arsenal has undermined their state.

Hezbollah’s fighters overtook Beirut in 2008 during a power battle with the Western-backed, Saudi-backed government.

Recent calls have been made for Judge Tarek bitar to be fired as lead investigator of Beirut port explosion. Bitar has been following Hezbollah close allies, on suspicion that he was negligent, and claiming his investigation was biased.