Hezbollah Al-Hejaz

Hezbollah Al-Hejaz
حزب الله الحجاز
LeaderAbdelkarim Hussein Mohamed Al-Nasser
Ahmed Ibrahim Al-Mughassil
Dates of operation1987–present (mostly inactive since 1989)[1][2]
Motives
Active regions Saudi Arabia (1987–present) (mostly inactive since 1989)
IdeologyShia jihadism
Shia Islamism
Khomeinism
Notable attacksKhobar Towers bombing
StatusDepleted and near dead
Size100+
Allies Iran
Hezbollah
Opponents Saudi Arabia (1987–present)
 United States
 United Arab Emirates
Battles and wars2017–2020 Qatif unrest (suspected)

Hezbollah Al-Hejaz (Arabic: حزب الله الحجاز; literally Party of God in the Hejaz), or Hizbollah in the Hijaz, is a militant Shia organization operating in Saudi Arabia. It was founded in May 1987 in Saudi Arabia's Eastern Province.[3][1] In the years 1987–89 the party launched attacks against official Saudi targets inside and outside Saudi Arabia. After being implicated in the Khobar Towers Bombing in 1996, the party was outlawed in Saudi Arabia. The party was part of the Iranian government's "exporting the Islamic revolution" policy. Most of its members were arrested and the party practically ceased to exist. In 2014 it was designated a terrorist organization by the kingdom's government.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d e Matthiesen, Toby (Spring 2010). "Hizbullah al-Hijaz: A History of The Most Radical Saudi Shi'a Opposition Group". The Middle East Journal. 64 (2): 179–197. doi:10.3751/64.2.11. S2CID 143684557. Retrieved 19 August 2013.
  2. ^ Turki al-Suhail (25 August 2017). "Iran Planned to Revive 'Hezbollah Al-Hejaz' Under Al-Mughassil's Command". Asharq Al-Awsat. Archived from the original on 1 September 2017. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  3. ^ Jones, Toby (3 June 2009). "Embattled in Arabia. Shi'is and the Politics of Confrontation in Saudi Arabia" (PDF). Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Retrieved 16 April 2012.
  4. ^ Nancy A. Youssef and Adam Baron (7 March 2014). "Saudi Arabia declares Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist group". Kansas City Star. Retrieved 8 March 2014.