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While talking to my respected diplomat and colleague Hajrudin Somun about Hezbollah in Lebanon, he told me that this Shia militant group is better armed than some countries and due to its powerful arsenal, it has gained the status of being the most powerful non-state entity in the world. This was very important during the war in the Middle East because Iran was waging a proxy war against Israel through Hezbollah. For those who may not know, I will explain that the term proxy war refers to an armed conflict between two states or non-state actors instigating or acting on behalf of other parties that are not directly involved in the hostilities.
This is usually the provision of financing, arms or other forms of material assistance to one side to help the warring parties maintain their war efforts. Hezbollah, which is financially backed by Iran, was founded in 1985 and its members have been engaged in a continuous struggle against the Israeli army in Lebanon and have launched attacks on Israeli civilians in other countries. After nearly 20 years of deadly fighting, the Israeli army unilaterally withdrew from southern Lebanon in 2000, prompting Hezbollah to declare itself the first Arab army to force Israel to give up its control of the territory.
It was estimated that Hezbollah had about 150,000 rockets in 2016 during the month-long Israel-Lebanon war, a tenfold increase from 2006, and that its total arsenal had increased many times by 2024. Analysts point in particular to Hezbollah’s 122mm multiple rocket launchers, inspired by the famous Soviet Kachus rocket, which have a range of 40 kilometers and carry a lethal warhead weighing 9 to 30 kilograms. Although Kachu missiles have limited accuracy, their speed and low trajectory pose an interception problem, even for Israel’s Iron Dome air defense system, as it could be overwhelmed by a massive barrage that devastated large areas. Tehran has also supplied Hezbollah with multiple rocket launchers (MRBLs), mounted on trucks and capable of firing simultaneously, and 122mm caliber Type 81 rockets, which have also been shipped from China through secret channels. They can be equipped with powerful warheads and can hit targets 20 kilometers away.
Hezbollah militants are also equipped with Soviet-made BM-27 Uragan self-propelled multiple-barrel missile systems. These weapons, called Raad-2 and Raad-3 by members of the group, have a range of up to 60 kilometers. The Hurricanes, which most likely arrived at Hezbollah from Syria, can be equipped with a high-explosive warhead weighing 50 kilograms. The group also has Iranian 240-mm solid-fuel rockets. For example, the Falak-1 has a range of between 9 and 12 kilometers, and the Fajr-3 has a range of 43 kilometers and a warhead weighing 44 kilograms. Hezbollah also has Iranian Keibar-1 missiles with a caliber of 302 mm and a warhead weighing 150 kilograms, which can hit targets 99 kilometers away. According to experts, this is the most accurate part of Hezbollah’s missile arsenal.
In addition to an array of rockets and missiles, Hezbollah has received significant Iranian assistance in the form of various drones. According to Israeli officials, Shia militants from Lebanon have suicide drones that can easily reach targets in northern Israel. Iranian Hezbollah drones, while not as advanced as Western models, can reportedly fly up to about 460 kilometers. Hezbollah’s main drones include the Mirsad-1, which is very similar to Iran’s Ababil T, which has a range of up to 200 kilometers and a payload of about 30 kilograms. The larger and more capable Ayub drone is similar to Iran’s Shahed 129. Shahed drones, also known as kamikaze or suicide drones, have become important players in modern warfare, especially in asymmetric conflicts. These craft have unique characteristics that make them a cost-effective and lethal weapon system. The Ayub is estimated to have a range of up to 1,500 kilometers, a flight autonomy of up to 24 hours, and a payload of 150 kilograms.
Hezbollah commanders claim that they can recruit 100,000 militants, but this is hard to believe, since they have only 1,000 people on their payroll, while they can mobilize up to 65,000 members. That is, most of Hezbollah members are not professionals, but are employed by other companies or occasionally work and engage in armed activities at the invitation of the group commander. Hezbollah has a controversial history in terrorism, so its reputation varies from being classified as a “terrorist organization” to “fighting terrorism” on the side of its financiers. Soon after its establishment, Hezbollah was recognized as a terrorist organization by the governments of the United States and Israel, as well as by the governments of close allies Canada and the Netherlands, while the United Kingdom and Australia recognized Hezbollah’s military wing as a terrorist organization. His participation in various bombings is considered an argument for negative inclusion, which Hezbollah categorically denies.
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