IDF soldiers have come across several troves of Russian weapons in Hezbollah’s possession in southern Lebanon, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday.
Some of the weapons were manufactured as recently as 2020, such as Kornet anti-tank missiles, which were transported from Russia, through Syria, and into southern Lebanon in recent years, the WSJ reported, citing a Syrian security official and a separate Arab official.
According to the report, Israeli military leaders were aware that Hezbollah possessed Russian-made weapons, but the ground operation allowed Israel’s defense establishment to uncover the extent to which Russian-made arms were supplied to Hezbollah.
IDF uncovering advanced Russian-made weaponry
The WSJ noted that due to Israel’s inability to access areas of southern Lebanon since 2006, the IDF was not fully aware of Hezbollah’s capabilities. As such, Israel was aware that Hezbollah held Soviet-era weapons, which were less sophisticated.
Israel is finding more advanced, newer, and larger numbers of Russian weaponry in southern Lebanon, which have allowed Hezbollah to continue to attack Israel, military analysts told the WSJ.
Kornet anti-tank missiles are frequently used in attacks against IDF soldiers, the report added.
Other Russian-made weapons seized by Israel in southern Lebanon reportedly include guided anti-tank missile systems, such as Metis, Konkurs, Fagots, and Saggers. These weapons were found less than a kilometer inside of southern Lebanon.
Additionally, according to the report, 60-70% of the weapons seized by Israel during the beginning of the operation were Russian-made.
