The Intelligence Review | vol. 1 | iss. 1 |

Will Russia’s Military Involvement in Syria Increase
the Strength of Hezbollah in Lebanon?
Benjamin Malone
For nearly a year, Russian and Hezbollah forces have been working closely to fight armed
rebel groups and militias inside Syria. However, Russia’s involvement in Syria will not have an
effect on Hezbollah’s power in Lebanon. Hezbollah is a militant group that has been labeled
a terrorist organization by the United States (US) and other Western countries, ever since 1983,
when it bombed the US Embassy and Marine Corps barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. Emerging
out of the Lebanese Civil war, Hezbollah has evolved into a more legitimate power in Lebanon
over the past twenty years. Hezbollah’s strength can be categorized into two distinct parts:
political and military. Inside Lebanon, Hezbollah’s political wing is a recognized party in the
Lebanese parliament. This intensive involvement in Lebanese politics has allowed the group
to have a substantial amount of influence in recent elections. An example of this is Hezbollah’s
ongoing boycott of the presidential election in parliament, which has resulted in the absence
of a Lebanese president for over two years. Hezbollah’s armed wing works closely with the
Lebanese government and is seen by many as deterrence to Israeli aggression along the
southern border of Lebanon, where the militant group is most prevalent.
Discussion
Since Hezbollah entered the Syrian conflict in 2013, they have progressed from an advisory
position to direct action, and then on to a leadership role. Responsible for training Syrian
forces and planning operations, Hezbollah has made no secret of their involvement and
support for the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad (Sullivan 2014:4). One of the main
reasons for their support, which is aimed at ensuring the survival of the Assad regime, is that
his government has played an important part in the transfer of money, weapons and equipment
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