COMMENT | When news reports mention Hezbollah, many Malaysians recognise the name but do not fully grasp what it represents.

It is not a state, yet it fights like one. It is not merely a political party, yet it sits inside the government. It is not only an armed movement, but it also runs schools, clinics and welfare networks.

Hezbollah survives in the blurred space between militia and state, and that is exactly why its story matters far beyond Lebanon.

To understand Hezbollah, one must first understand Lebanon, a country in which the political order has long been divided along sectarian lines. Large sections of the Shia Muslim population felt neglected for decades, both politically and economically.

When Lebanon...