(Al-Monitor) Ali Rizk - "Hizbullah is more than just an ally for Iran," said a Hizbullah official in the movement's stronghold of Dahiyeh in southern Beirut. The relationship is similar to "that between father and son." Hizbullah's importance as an ally for Iran in the region has become quite clear. The group has played a pivotal role in preserving Assad in Syria and has sent military personnel to Iraq to fight against Islamic State terrorists. The regional bloc that might be forming between Saudi Arabia and Israel against Iran could further boost Hizbullah's status. With Iran's Arab state allies, such as Iraq and Syria, worn out by ongoing conflict, Hizbullah could be poised to take up an even greater role to counter a Saudi/Israeli-led anti-Iranian bloc.
2016-02-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive