In Lebanon, there are practically two armies: the official Lebanese army, and the Hezbollah militia, which possesses weapons, missiles, and drones that surpass, in terms of strength and armament, the capabilities of the Lebanese army belonging to the political authority that is supposed to manage the country's affairs, collect taxes and fees, and provide services.
The late Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah had previously announced, in a televised speech in June 2016, that his party's funding comes entirely from Iran and does not pass through Lebanese banks, which adhered to the provisions of an American law imposing sanctions on banks that deal with Hezbollah.
During his speech, Nasrallah said: "We have no commercial projects, and we have no investment institutions operating through banks," adding: "We, openly and from the rooftops, say that Hezbollah's budget, salaries, expenses, food, drink, weapons, and missiles come from the Iranian Republic."
All of this was under the banner of "resistance"—a resistance that, according to the writer's presentation, caused Israel to occupy dozens of villages and towns in southern Lebanon and destroy them. All these "achievements" were realized, according to this narrative, because of six missiles launched by Hezbollah in revenge for the assassination of the Supreme Iranian Leader Ali Khamenei!
As for the second model, it concerns Yemen. This country, which used to be described as "happy," has not felt happiness for dozens of years, in addition to living in a continuous war since the era of the late President Ali Abdullah Saleh, who fought six fierce wars with the Houthi militia between 2004 and 2010, before the final confrontation between them erupted in 2017, ending with Saleh's assassination. These wars drained Yemen's budget and cost both sides thousands of dead.
What is certain is that Iranian support for the Houthi militia with funds, ballistic missiles, and drones is considered, according to this narrative, a direct cause of the raging conflict in Yemen, which continues to this day. The recent battles were a witness to this, during which the Houthi militia seized vast areas of the Red Sea coast!
Battles continue between the Yemeni government forces loyal to the legitimate government and the Houthis in southwestern Yemen, specifically in several areas of Taiz governorate, which is Yemen's third-largest city by population. Government forces are holed up in the city, while the Houthis control several areas around it. The recent battles have led to the displacement of tens of thousands of Yemenis internally, and refugees have even reached Djibouti, amid very poor health, service, and educational conditions.
In the recent battles, the Minister of Information in the internationally recognized Yemeni government, Muammar Al-Eryani, confirmed that the Iran-backed Houthis have taken control of the city of Mocha overlooking the Red Sea. The Houthis' control of this city would grant Iran a strategic card in its war with the United States, and also bring the rebels closer to the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In the recent battles, the Minister of Information in the internationally recognized Yemeni government, Moammar al-Eryani, confirmed that the Iran-backed Houthis had taken control of the city of Mocha overlooking the Red Sea. The Houthis' control of this city would grant Iran a strategic card in its war with the United States and bring the rebels closer to the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
In the same context, the Houthis announced the imposition of a blockade on Saudi navigation, and they even shell Saudi cities with missiles and drones—such as Riyadh and Taif—and have even targeted Mecca, King Khalid Airport, King Fahd Airport, and Aramco facilities. All of these, according to the writer, are civilian targets, and these acts are considered war crimes.
As for the third model of internal divisions, it concerns Sudan, where a devastating bloody conflict broke out on April 15, 2023, between the Sudanese Armed Forces (the army), led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the Rapid Support Forces, led by Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo (Hemedti). This war transformed from a local power struggle into a complex strategic crisis. There is no doubt that the Rapid Support Forces militia receives external support from several countries, with the aim of deepening the internal division in Sudan, which used to be described as the "food basket of the Arab world"!
Regardless of each side's justifications for the outbreak of this conflict, the certain truth is that the fundamental reason lies in the struggle for power. After the Rapid Support Forces were part of the Sudanese army, Hemedti disagreed with al-Burhan over power and influence, and war broke out between the two sides.
The result was catastrophic for the Sudanese people; millions of displaced Sudanese were forced to leave their homes and seek refuge in miserable camps, in addition to the widespread destruction of infrastructure, the collapse of economic and productive sectors, a sharp decline in services, the proliferation of weapons, and deep social tension. All these internal divisions are taking place while the Arab League stands by watching, or appears incapable of intervening.
