nicholas blanford is a british journalist. during the 1990 s. he was writing for lebanese daily newspapers back then there was a general consensus within lebanon to support has followed to support hezbollah's resistance activities including from those the view has followed with some distrust . and there's a long list organization. with links to iran bob the resistance of credentials helps hezbollah game popular if you cross the country. has been was a version of history as that israel occupied southern lebanon and that hezbollah put up resistance until the israelis withdrew. in fact as a law also mounted repeated attacks on its arch enemy after that time. in 2006 as full law began firing of rockets into northern israel. then crossing over into israel hezbollah militants killed 3 israeli soldiers and abducted 2 more . israel hit back launching a ground invasion of southern lebanon and a series of airstrikes reaching as far as beirut. more than a 1000 lebanese were killed most of them civilians. the war also cemented hezbollah's status as one of i

. >> reporter: nicholas blanford is a senior fellow at the atlantic council, and author of ' o booksollah. he says the groupolitical power is based on having the right allies in lebanese politics. >> because it makes it easier to shg down any calls for talk about a national defense strategy in which perhaps hezbollah would be blended with the lebanese army, or it would become a security force along thl,southern border with isr but under state control.an these are athema with hezbollah. >> reporter: those allies helping hezbollah maintain power michele aoun.hristian president in the trump administration's latest attempts to check the t group's power, cutting if from those allies has become a new tactic. thres to sanction hezbollah friendly politicians are growing louder. situation, becauseave muddle the several powerful politicians, non-ia, who are closely allied with hezbollah, who if sanctions were alied, would have to benefits of their alliance with hezbollah and on the other side their bank accounts. >> reporter: within its own shia muslim base, hezbollah still has strong support,