Hezbollah spends tens of millions rebuilding drone and command systems

Lebanese security personnel report that Hezbollah has spent the past three months preparing for potential renewed hostilities with Israel.

The group is using a new infusion of cash from Iran to restore military capabilities that were severely damaged in two wars with Israel since 2024. Those conflicts resulted in the deaths of thousands of fighters and many senior leaders, along with the destruction of much of the group's arsenal.

Two Lebanese security sources told Reuters that Hezbollah has focused its rearmament efforts on procuring explosives and producing drones. The objective is to equip the group with aircraft capable of operating inside the security zone currently occupied by Israeli Defense Forces troops in southern Lebanon.

A source close to Hezbollah stated that the group received tens of millions of dollars from Tehran to boost its military power. This amount is in addition to approximately $200 million in funding that Reuters reported earlier this month.

Four security officials familiar with the group's operations said Hezbollah is working to restore command and control structures that broke down during key battles. One Lebanese security source and three other officials identified specific areas of weakness, including the flashpoint town of Bint Jbeil and the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge.

Hezbollah's media office rejected the characterization that its command and control systems had collapsed. The group stated it was wary of providing Israeli leaders with justification to escalate anti-Hezbollah efforts.

The officials described a tactical shift where Hezbollah operated in small units and rationed the use of anti-tank rockets. This approach left some units isolated and struggling to confront Israeli remotely operated systems, which include weaponized drones and armed remote-controlled vehicles.

The Israeli military told Reuters it employs remotely operated systems to monitor southern Lebanon and reduce the threat exposure of its troops. Israel's military declined to provide further comment on the current state of Hezbollah's capabilities.

Hezbollah is still restocking its inventory. The group acknowledged this month that explosives seized by Lebanese authorities belonged to it. A Hezbollah official and a Lebanese security source told Reuters that those explosives were intended specifically for its explosive drones.

The rearmament efforts occur amid continued tensions in the Middle East. Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, triggering an Israeli response that led to the evacuation of many residents from southern Lebanon. Hostilities largely abated over the summer following an interim Iran-US deal that included a Lebanon ceasefire and Washington-mediated talks. Full-scale hostilities have not resumed despite the later collapse of the US-Iranian deal, though Israel continues strikes on Hezbollah targets in the south.

Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva did not immediately respond to questions from Reuters. A US State Department spokesman said Washington would continue to restrict Hezbollah's finances through sanctions. A US Treasury spokesperson noted that Iran was running out of money and ways to move it.