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Abu Ali Al-Hakim ... The Pawn of the Terrorist Hezbollah

Abu Ali Al-Hakim.
Abu Ali Al-Hakim.
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Abu Ali Al-Hakim ... The Pawn of the Terrorist Hezbollah

Abu Ali Al-Hakim.
Abu Ali Al-Hakim.

He is Iran's terrorist arm in Yemen. One of the most prominent war criminal members of the Iran-backed Houthi militias, a fake major-general who has never received any military training or any kind of education. He receives his orders from the terrorist Hezbollah in Lebanon and Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). So, who is Abu Ali Al-Hakim?

Hakim currently serves as the illegitimate Houthi authorities' "commander of the republican guard" alongside the "presidency of the military intelligence". He appeared suddenly during the beginning of the Houthi coup against the legitimate government, serving in the rank of major-general with no previous qualifications. He has never received any formal military training.

Hakim is one of the most dangerous war criminals in Yemen. He is the fifth most wanted figure on the list announced by the Saudi-led Arab coalition given his crimes and violations of all rules of war. Hakim is behind barbaric massacres in several Yemeni regions.

The leader of the Houthi militias always tasks Hakim with carrying out criminal military campaigns and playing immoral roles. He has appeared in several leaked recordings where he offensively threatens senior tribal leaders.

The Arab coalition released during a press conference on Sunday a video recording of Hakim showing him receiving orders from a member of the Lebanese terrorist Hezbollah party.

The video shows the terrorist emphasizing to Hakim the importance of capturing the Hodeidah province so that its ports can be used for the shipping of weapons and transportation of terrorists to join the Houthis.

Hakim is seen listening to the orders of his superior, with whom he shares a joint terrorist ideology regardless of their nationality - evidence that the Houthis are just pawns in the hands of the IRGC and Hezbollah.

The recording showed a leading member of Hezbollah saying that the party had stopped its battles in order to stand by the Houthis in Yemen. The following is a transcript of the video that was obtained by the coalition:

"The military sector is very important. If Hodeidah falls, then the support in confronting the aggression will end. The sea is the only gateway to receive support.

"Sayyed Hassan [Nasrallah - the leader of Hezbollah] said yesterday that he hopes to perform jihad in Yemen. He said so when you suffered losses on the fronts and the aggression reached Hodeidah airport. This was due to disputes that erupted among you. Had the United Nations truce not held, Hodeidah would have fallen in our hands.

"Our agenda is greater than these disputes. We have left everything behind to stand with you. The Syrian war is about to end and the majority of the jihadists will come to Yemen.

"If we lose the sea, then no jihadists or support for reconstruction will arrive. We want to bring in a large number of jihadists and want to reorganize our ranks to prevent the fall of Hodeidah.

"We thank Abu Ali Al-Hakim for his efforts in uniting ranks and resolving disputes. The leadership communicated to him the need for us to control the Red Sea and its coasts."

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Hezbollah’s ‘Statelet’ in Syria’s Qusayr Under Israeli Fire

Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
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Hezbollah’s ‘Statelet’ in Syria’s Qusayr Under Israeli Fire

Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)
Smoke billows from al-Qusayr in western Syria following an attack. (SANA)

Israel has expanded its strikes against Hezbollah in Syria by targeting the al-Qusayr region in Homs.

Israel intensified its campaign against Hezbollah in Lebanon in September and has in the process struck legal and illegal borders between Lebanon and Syria that are used to smuggle weapons to the Iran-backed party. Now, it has expanded its operations to areas of Hezbollah influence inside Syria itself.

Qusayr is located around 20 kms from the Lebanese border. Israeli strikes have destroyed several bridges in the area, including one stretching over the Assi River that is a vital connection between Qusayr and several towns in Homs’ eastern and western countrysides.

Israel has also hit main and side roads and Syrian regime checkpoints in the area.

The Israeli army announced that the latest attacks targeted roads that connect the Syrian side of the border to Lebanon and that are used to smuggle weapons to Hezbollah.

Qusayr is strategic position for Hezbollah. The Iran-backed party joined the fight alongside the Syrian regime against opposition factions in the early years of the Syrian conflict, which began in 2011. Hezbollah confirmed its involvement in Syria in 2013.

Hezbollah waged its earliest battles in Syria against the “Free Syrian Army” in Qusayr. After two months of fighting, the party captured the region in mid-June 2013. By then, it was completely destroyed and its population fled to Lebanon.

A source from the Syrian opposition said Hezbollah has turned Qusayr and its countryside to its own “statelet”.

It is now the backbone of its military power and the party has the final say in the area even though regime forces are deployed there, it told Asharq Al-Awsat.

“Qusayr is critical for Hezbollah because of its close proximity to the Lebanese border,” it added.

Several of Qusayr’s residents have since returned to their homes. But the source clarified that only regime loyalists and people whom Hezbollah “approves” of have returned.

The region has become militarized by Hezbollah. It houses training centers for the party and Shiite militias loyal to Iran whose fighters are trained by Hezbollah, continued the source.

Since Israel intensified its attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon, the party moved the majority of its fighters to Qusayr, where the party also stores large amounts of its weapons, it went on to say.

In 2016, Shiite Hezbollah staged a large military parade at the al-Dabaa airport in Qusayr that was seen as a message to the displaced residents, who are predominantly Sunni, that their return home will be impossible, stressed the source.

Even though the regime has deployed its forces in Qusayr, Hezbollah ultimately holds the greatest sway in the area.

Qusayr is therefore of paramount importance to Hezbollah, which will be in no way willing to cede control of.

Lebanese military expert Brig. Gen Saeed Al-Qazah told Asharq Al-Awsat that Qusayr is a “fundamental logistic position for Hezbollah.”

He explained that it is where the party builds its rockets and drones that are delivered from Iran. It is also where the party builds the launchpads for firing its Katyusha and grad rockets.

Qazah added that Qusayr is also significant for its proximity to Lebanon’s al-Hermel city and northeastern Bekaa region where Hezbollah enjoys popular support and where its arms deliveries pass through on their way to the South.

Qazah noted that Israel has not limited its strikes in Qusayr to bridges and main and side roads, but it has also hit trucks headed to Lebanon, stressing that Israel has its eyes focused deep inside Syria, not just the border.