This book remains the most thorough examination of Hezbollah's covert activities outside Lebanon—with a new preface and epilogue that examine recent developments
Hezbollah—which translates as "Party of God"—is a multifaceted organization: It is a powerful political party in Lebanon, a Shia Islam religious and social movement, Lebanon's largest militia, a close ally of Iran and Hamas, and a terrorist organization.
Drawing on a wide range of sources—including declassified government documents, court records, and personal interviews with intelligence and law enforcement officials around the world—Hezbollah examines the party's beginnings, its first violent forays into Lebanon, and its subsequent terrorist activities and criminal enterprises worldwide. The book describes Hezbollah's ongoing role in Iran's shadow war with Israel and the West. This updated edition includes a new preface and a substantive epilogue by the author to update readers on Hezbollah's activities in recent years, particularly in supporting the Assad regime in Syria's civil war and the latest cross-border fighting between Hezbollah and Israel since October 7, 2023.
Levitt shows that Hezbollah's willingness to use violence both at home and abroad, its global reach, and its proxy–patron relationship with Iran remain serious international concerns. This is an important book for scholars, policymakers, students, and the members of the general public who are interested in international security, terrorism, international criminal organizations, and Middle East studies.
Reviews
""In Hezbollah, Matthew Levitt, through adept storytelling and impressive attention to historical detail, manages to teach even long-time students of the Middle East a great deal about Hezbollah. The book leaves little doubt as to the increasing importance, danger, and international reach of Hezbollah. It will be an important resource for serious scholars of the Middle East and a great read for anyone interested in better understanding the region."—Andy Liepman, Senior Policy Analyst, RAND Corporation; former Principal Deputy Director, National Counterterrorism Center"—Al-Ahram Weekly
""This book tells the sinister story of a highly sophisticated organization that for more than thirty years has been an archetype of world-wide illicit activities. Hezbollah effectively combines its overt social and political activities with covert criminal and terrorist operations on a global scale. Matthew Levitt's painstaking collection of a rich array of data provides uncomfortable evidence of 'The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God'. This book is essential reading for policy-makers and the international intelligence community."—Uri Rosenthal, Former Minister of Foreign Affairs, the Netherlands"—
""This book on Lebanese Hezbollah is a unique incisive insight into its global terror tentacles around the globe. Noone has cataloged these terrorist connections and plots in such forensic detail as Matthew Levitt, especially how the terror nexus between Hezbollah and Iran has continually evolved. It systematically lays bare Hezbollah's operational capability and its multiple intersections with Iranian intelligence architecture. This should be required reading for every intelligence analyst and terrorism researcher."—Magnus Ranstrop, research director, Centre for Asymmetric Threat Studies at the Swedish National Defence College"—
""Matthew Levitt's book touches a key point of the growing debate on Hezbollah: the European approach to the phenomenon. It is a reminder for us Europeans that there are threats that might seem distant geographically, but could nevertheless have a strong impact politically on the continent as well."—Franco Frattini, Justice and Chamber President of the Italian Conseil d'Etat (Supreme Administrative Court); President of the Italian Society for International Organization (SIOI); former Italian Foreign Minister (2002-2004 and 2008-2011)"—
""Matthew Levitt has made a significant contribution to public understanding of Hezbollah's worldwide operations. He has shone a bright light into some of the darkest corners of the group's activities overseas."—Richard Barrett, former head of MI6/SIS/British Intelligence's Counter Terrorism Department and coordinator of the United Nations Al-Qaeda-Taliban Monitoring Team"—
""Hezbollah is perhaps the world's most capable group. Terrorism expert Matthew Levitt offers a comprehensive and fascinating assessment of Hezbollah's network outside the Lebanese theater, exposing its operations and fundraising apparatus in Asia, Latin America, Europe, and even the United States."—Daniel Byman, professor, Center for Security Studies, Georgetown University"—
""Matthew Levitt is a recognized authority on Hezbollah and its activities, both in the Levant and globally. . . . Hezbollah: The Global Footprint of Lebanon's Party of God fills a vital gap in understanding the international dimensions of Hezbollah, its reach, and its capacities for terrorism worldwide."—Charles Allen, former assistant director of the central intelligence for collection, CIA"—
""Richard Armitage, then Deputy Secretary of State, once described Hezbollah as the 'A team' of international terror. In his extraordinary new book, Matthew Levitt explains why Hezbollah is seen as such a global threat. Levitt paints a compelling picture of Hezbollah's terror activities not just in the Middle East but throughout Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America. While Western intelligence and law enforcement agencies have tracked and disrupted Hezbollah's global activities for years, this highly unsettling story has been largely unknown to wider publics. Thanks to Levitt's meticulous and well-written book that should no longer be the case."—Ambassador Dennis Ross, counselor at the Washington Institute; former special assistant to President Obama and senior director for the Central Region at the National Security Council"—
""Matthew Levitt has laid out a timely and relevant history of Hezbollah, a global terrorist organization often referred to as the 'A Team' of terror. This book comes at the right time as Hezbollah continues its decades-long war against the United States, Israel, and our allies around the globe while it attempts to consolidate political power in Lebanon—on its behalf and for the Iranian regime."—Juan Zarate, former Deputy National Security Advisor for Combatting Terrorism and author of the forthcoming book, Treasury's War"—
