What weapons does Lebanese Hezbollah have?

Hezbollah is a Lebanese Shiite Islamist political party and militant group and one of the most heavily armed non-state actors in the world. The group is mainly supported by Iran.

This week, the group made headlines by issuing a warning to Israel over the ongoing conflict in Gaza. The military group's second-in-command, Naim Qassem, said the group was ready to engage in large-scale conflict if necessary.

A Brief History of Hezbollah

Hezbollah emerged during Lebanon's civil war in the 1980s. The group was originally formed in response to the Israeli occupation. Israel occupied southern Lebanon for decades until the withdrawal of the Israeli army in 2000.

Hezbollah's military wing is considered stronger than the Lebanese National Army and has been involved in numerous conflicts, notably with Israel. Hezbollah's arsenal is a central point of tension and concern for regional and international actors.

Hezbollah has accelerated its action against Israel in response to the war between Israel and Hamas, which has killed more than 36,000 people in Gaza, according to Palestinian officials. Israel took the action after Hamas launched an attack on southern Israel on October 7 that killed around 1,200 people and took around 250 people hostage.

Israel's military actions in Gaza have triggered what groups including the United Nations have described as a humanitarian crisis.

What weapons does Hezbollah have?

Hezbollah is supported and supplied with weapons by Iran. Its military force is characterized by an arsenal of rockets. This is a preview of the weapons Hezbollah is believed to have at its disposal, according to a Reuters report.

Rockets and missiles: Hezbollah's military strength relies on its vast rocket arsenal, estimated at more than 150,000 missiles and rockets. These range from unguided artillery rockets to precision-guided missiles. Key designs include the Iranian-made Raad, Fajr and Zilzal rockets, as well as the Russian-made Katyusha rockets. The group has also improved its capabilities by equipping its unguided rockets with precision guidance systems, allowing them to hit specific targets across Israel.

Anti-tank missiles: Hezbollah possesses advanced anti-tank missiles, including the Russian-made Kornet and the Iranian Toophan, a reverse-engineered version of the American TOW missile. These were used effectively against Israeli armor, notably during the Lebanon War in 2006.

Anti-aircraft missiles: Although Hezbollah has occasionally used surface-to-air missiles, their effectiveness remains a matter of speculation. Recently, the group claimed to have shot down Israeli drones using such missiles, marking a potential increase in their air defense capabilities.

Anti-ship missiles: Hezbollah has demonstrated its anti-ship capabilities, including striking an Israeli warship with a missile during the 2006 conflict. The group is believed to possess Russian-made Yakhont anti-ship missiles, capable of targeting offshore infrastructure and warships.

Drone: Hezbollah uses drones primarily for reconnaissance and occasionally for offensive operations. These drones, like the locally assembled Ayoub and Mersad models, are relatively inexpensive to produce and can put a strain on Israel's Iron Dome defense system.

Land attack rockets and missiles: Hezbollah possesses Iranian models of land-attack rockets and missiles. Hassan Nasrallah, who is the leader of Hezbollah, said in 2022 that Hezbollah has the ability to equip rockets with guidance systems to make them precision missiles. Among the rockets fired at Israel by Hezbollah since the start of the conflict in Gaza are the Katyusha and Burkan missiles.