In a multi-hour interview with the Guardian, the commander said on condition of anonymity that Hezbollah views the extremist terrorists as fighting a war “not just against us, but against humanity,” and that their involvement came entirely because of attacks on border villages full of Lebanese citizens.

"This is a war not just against us, but against humanity," the commander said. "And it is one that we will win."

He was referring to the war to the east in Syria, a conflict in which Hezbollah has admitted playing a significant role, rallying to the cause of the Syrian army in its protracted battle against the extremists and terrorists ranged against it.

The long-standing war against extremism has taken center stage in what was once a “Syrian” conflict but is now largely a regional proxy war between extremists and moderate Muslims on either side, with Syria trapped in the middle.

Hezbollah feels its involvement is entirely “self-defense” against the extremists, and that it is being pushed to take a bigger and bigger role in a war in which the stakes are less about territory and more about religion.

"It is not like that at all," the commander said. "They are the majority and they think they are the victims. Aren't minorities supposed to be the vulnerable ones? We are defending our lands. We are defending our interests. If the Takfiris [fundamentalist Sunni extremists] had not started attacking the border Shia villages, we would not have been forced to act."

"The battle is intense. The Takfiris are committed. They want to destroy Syria and we will not let them."

Syria has been gripped by deadly unrest since 2011. According to reports, Western powers and their regional allies - especially Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Turkey - are supporting the militants operating inside the country.

NTJ/NJF