Syrian Hezbollah

Last updated
Syrian Hezbollah
LeadersMohammad Amin Hussein al Raja
Tariq al Mayouf
Dates of operation2012 – 2024
AllegianceFlag of Iran.svg Iran (IRGC) [1]
Group(s)Flag of Quwat al-Ridha (unofficial).png Quwat al-Ridha
Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi
InfoboxHez.PNG Return Forces
HeadquartersUnknown (most likely Homs or Sayyidah Zaynab)
Active regions Syria
Ideology Shia Islamism
Jihadism (Shia)
Khomeinism
Anti-Sunnism [2]
Sectarianism
Size15,000 [3]
Part of
AlliesState Allies: Flag of the United Arab Republic (1958-1971), Flag of Syria (1980-2024).svg Ba'athist Syria
Flag of Iran.svg Iran [3]
Flag of Russia.svg Russia
Flag of North Korea.svg North Korea
Non–state allies
InfoboxHez.PNG Mukhtar Army
Liwa Zainebiyoun infobox flag.png Lashkar-e-Zainabiyoun
Liwa Fatemiyoun infobox flag.png Liwa Fatemiyoun
Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas SSI.svg Liwa Abu al-Fadhal al-Abbas
Husayniyun/Hüseynçilər
Flag placeholder.svg Al-Ashtar Brigades
Shiite Resistance flag.svg Islamic Resistance in Iraq
PMF infobox.png Al hashd al shaabi 379865.jpg Popular Mobilization Units
OpponentsState Opponents:
Flag of Turkey.svg Turkey (2019-20)
Flag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Flag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of Israel.svg Israel [4]
Non–state opponents:
Syrian revolution flag.svg Free Syrian Army
Jaysh Al Islam white flag.svg Jaysh al-Islam
Flag of Ahrar ash-Sham.svg Ahrar al-Sham
Flag of the Al-Nusra Front.svg Al-Nusra Front
Islamic State flag.svg Islamic State
Battles and wars

Syrian Hezbollah was the Syrian branch of the Lebanese Shiite Hezbollah, fighting in the Syrian Civil War until it withdrew from Syria following the fall of the Assad regime in late 2024. [7] There have been claims that the groups members are Syrian citizens, however available information suggests that many of its members are from Lebanon. [8] The group was directly trained by the Shia political party and paramilitary organization Hezbollah, the IRGC, and formerly the Syrian Arab Armed Forces. [9] The group had fighters deployed in Damascus, Aleppo, Daraa, and Quneitra. [3] Quwat al-Ridha had obscure links with Syrian Hezbollah. [5] The group also participated in the 2023 attacks on U.S. bases in Iraq and Syria. On October 30, 2023, Syrian Hezbollah militants conducted rocket attacks targeting US forces stationed at Conoco gas fields in eastern Syria. [10]

Contents

During the 2024 Syrian opposition offensives that led to Assad’s downfall, no response from Hezbollah Syria was reported, besides it dissolution and withdrawal. [8]

Subgroups

Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi

Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi was a sub group of Hezbollah's Syria branch which was active until 2024. This group had at least 2 sub-groups namely the Imam Ali Battalion and the Special Operations al-Hadi Battalion. The al-Hadi Battalion claimed to have 2 squadrons with each respectively being led by its own commanders. The first led by “al-Saffah” and the second led by “Abu Ali Karar”. [11]

Quwat al-Ridha

Quwat al-Ridha was a Hezbollah-trained and affiliated militia that was active alongside Syrian government forces in the Syrian Civil War prior to Assad's fall in December 2024. [12] [13] Its members belong to Syria's small Twelver Shia community, mainly from the Homs region which houses around 170,000 Shias. [14] Its name refers to the eighth Twelver Shia Imam, Ali al-Ridha. [12] Quwat al-Ridha forces had an effective presence in the operations that led to the Ba'athist capture of Homs and the Battle of Shaer gas field against the Islamic State. [14]

Return Forces

Return Forces was a Hezbollah-backed Palestinian militant organization in Syria. It was created in July 2015 by Hezbollah, led by Abu Dhikra, for the Palestinian return and against Syrian opposition. [15] The group had fought in Yarmouk [16] and Abu Kamal. [15]

References

  1. "What Is Hezbollah?". Council on Foreign Relations. Retrieved 2023-12-17.
  2. Schenker, David (7 October 2015). "Putin and the Shiite 'Axis of Resistance'". The Hill . Archived from the original on 31 October 2023. Retrieved 25 May 2016. Assad, backed by Hezbollah and Iran, began his campaign to eradicate Sunni regime opponents...this new axis — which targets Syrian Sunnis instead of Israel — is deeply polarizing.
  3. 1 2 3 "اخبار داعش لحظه به لحظه » مقاومت سوریه بازوی قدرتمند ایران در سوریه". 2016-03-05. Archived from the original on 2016-03-05. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  4. "Israeli drone strike in Syria killed three Hezbollah members - sources". Reuters. December 9, 2023. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  5. 1 2 Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi (15 August 2016). "Syrian Hezbollah Militias of Nubl and Zahara'". Syria Comment. Retrieved 19 February 2018.
  6. Joe Truzman (14 February 2020). "IRGC trained militias suffer losses in northwest Syria". Long War Journal. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  7. Carter Center (2017), p. 2.
  8. 1 2 Taban, Besmillah (2024-12-15). "The Fall of the Syrian Government and the Future of Foreign Jihadists: Supporters and Opponents of Assad". Hasht-e Subh. Retrieved 2025-08-20.
  9. "حزب الله سوریه اعلام موجودیت کرد". 2015-07-09. Archived from the original on 2015-07-09. Retrieved 2022-08-05.
  10. "IRAN UPDATE, OCTOBER 30, 2023".
  11. Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (July 23, 2016). "Liwa al-Imam al-Mahdi: A Syrian Hezbollah Formation". Middle East Forum.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. 1 2 "Quwat al-Ridha: Syrian Hezbollah". Joshua Landis. 31 July 2015. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  13. "Hezbollah: Quwat al-Ridha". Jihad Intel. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  14. 1 2 "Syrian Shiites Take Up Arms in Support of Assad's Army". US News. Retrieved 29 December 2015.
  15. 1 2 Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (2018-08-11). "Quwat al-Aouda: Interview". Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi. Retrieved 2025-07-12.
  16. Al-Tamimi, Aymenn Jawad (2018-04-27). "The South Damascus Campaign: Interview with Quwat al-Sa'iqa". Aymenn Jawad Al-Tamimi. Retrieved 2025-07-12.