The Arabic word "Hezbollah" literally means "Party of God." Hezbollah is a Shiite Islamist political and paramilitary organization based in Lebanon. Hezbollah emerged as a response to Israeli invasion of Lebanon in 1982 with the financial support of Iran. It provides a majority of social services and operates schools, hospitals and agricultural services for thousands of Lebanese Shiites.
 
After its July 2006 war with Israel, Hezbollah declared victory despite criticism that it provoked massive destruction, and solidified its role as a political player in Lebanon. Subsequently, a wave of internal violence in May 2008 prompted Lebanese parliamentarians to compromise with the armed group and Hezbollah joined the national unity government in August 2008.

The United States classifies Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and accuses it of destabilizing the country after the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.

The United Nations called for disarming Hezbollah militias in its Security Council resolutions 1559 from 2004 and 1701 from 2006.

Since 1992, the leader of Hezbollah and its third secretary-general has been Hassan Nasrallah.