The Crisis

Syrian chemical weapons diverted to Lebanon. Gas attacks immanent

Background• Hezbollah is a Shiite Muslim political party and militant group that

the United States and European Union consider a terrorist organization. With significant support from Iran and Syria, Hezbollah maintains an extensive security apparatus, political organization, and social services network in Lebanon, where the group is often described as a "state within the state." Hezbollah's raison d'etre, resistance to Israel and Western involvement in the Middle East, has made it an effective proxy for Iranian foreign policy while earning the group some support from beyond its Shiite base. But as it has become increasingly embroiled in the Syrian civil war, where its fighters have fought for the Assad regime, it has alienated some of its Lebanese constituents and reportedly prompted deadly reprisals in Beirut from partisans of the predominantly Sunni Muslim Syrian rebels. The U.S. government and its European allies consider Hezbollah a global terrorist threat and a menace to Mideast stability.

The Map

The Crisis• Syrian use chemical weapons in the fall of ’13 • Assad, with pressure from Putin, agreed to turn over the chemical

weapons for “disposal” • Satellites detected a shipment of Sarin gas has been diverted south

into Lebanon. • The Russian government claims no responsibility for the Russian

Lorries (armed transport vehicles) diversion. • Hezbollah (Lebanese arm of the PLO) would not respond regarding

intelligence chatter indicating the group’s involvement in the diversion

• Netanyahu has threatened an immediate invasion of Lebanon unless the all the diverted gas is located, secured and destroyed

• Intelligence reports indicate hostile threats aimed at the “belligerent occupants of Palestinian territory”