What is Hezbollah in Lebanon and will it go to war with Israel?

Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah is a Shia cleric who has led Hezbollah since 1992.

He played a key role in turning it into a political, as a well as a military, force.

He has close links with Iran and its Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

These date from 1981, when Iran’s first Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, appointed him his personal representative in Lebanon.

Nasrallah has not appeared in public for years, purportedly for fear of being assassinated by Israel.

However, he remains revered by Hezbollah, and delivers televised speeches every week.