Matthew Levitt is the Fromer-Wexler Senior Fellow and director of the Reinhard Program on Counterterrorism and Intelligence at The Washington Institute.
Articles & Testimony
The assignment of skilled senior operatives to support Houthi rebels in Yemen underscores the importance that Hezbollah attributes to its activities in the Arabian Peninsula.
This week, Saudi Arabia sanctioned two senior Hezbollah members, Khalil Harb and Muhammad Qabalan, for "terrorist actions." Both operatives have long Hezbollah resumes, but they stand out for playing leadership roles overseeing Hezbollah's operations in one particular region: the Middle East. Tellingly, the decision to blacklist these two operatives comes in the wake of Hezbollah threats that Saudi Arabia would "incur very serious losses" and "pay a heavy price" as a result of its Yemen campaign. Given Hezbollah's recent investment in expanding its regional presence and operations, the Saudis are taking these threats seriously.
The official Saudi announcement accused Harb of commanding Hezbollah's "central military unit" and of being responsible for Hezbollah's activities in Yemen. It points to Qabalan's role in terrorist activities in Egypt and accuses him of "spreading chaos and instability." Hezbollah has a long history of operating in the Gulf, but tensions today are at an all-time high. Although Sunni Arab countries have at times exaggerated the threat from their regional rival Iran and its proxy Hezbollah, the sanctions against these two Hezbollah leadership figures are well-justified...
