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Hezbollah Deploys Advanced Missiles Reverse-Engineered from Israeli Weaponry
Edited by: Fern Sidman
Hezbollah, the Iranian backed Lebanese terrorist organization, has begun deploying advanced Almas missiles in its ongoing conflict with Israel, according to Israeli defense officials. These missiles, reverse-engineered from Israel’s own Spike anti-tank missile, highlight a dangerous evolution in the arms capabilities of Iran-backed proxy forces. The New York Times reported that these developments are causing serious concerns within Israeli military and intelligence circles.
WOW! Hezbollass terrorists felt some pain last night.
ONE HUNDRED IAF fighter jets struck and destroyed THOUSANDS of Hezbollah rocket launcher barrels, aimed for immediate fire toward northern and central Israel before they had a chance to fire. pic.twitter.com/PW0PFpBX0T
— The Mossad: Satirical and Awesome (@TheMossadIL) August 25, 2024
The missile’s story traces back to the aftermath of the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah. Israeli military inventories revealed discrepancies, with an entire Spike missile system, including a launcher and multiple missiles, unaccounted for. The New York Times reported that this system likely fell into Hezbollah’s hands and was subsequently transferred to Iran, where it was dismantled and reverse-engineered into the Almas.
The Almas missile is now being used by Hezbollah to target Israeli military bases, communication systems, and air-defense launchers. According to The New York Times report, with a range of up to 10 miles and advanced guidance seekers capable of locking onto targets with precision, the Almas poses a significant challenge to Israeli defense systems.
Hezbollah targeting the Metulla site with a 9M14 Malyutka (AT-3 Sagger) wire-guided anti-tank missile. pic.twitter.com/YRZ3UoKJEx
— MenchOsint (@MenchOsint) September 16, 2024
The Almas missile is not an isolated case of reverse engineering by Iran and its proxies. As per the information provided in The New York Times report, Iran has previously cloned American drones and missiles, using captured or acquired systems as blueprints. Mohammed Al-Basha, a weapons analyst specializing in Middle Eastern military dynamics, told The New York Times that such practices are “fundamentally altering regional power dynamics.”
“What was once a gradual spread of older missile generations has transformed into rapid deployment of cutting-edge technology across active battlefields,” Al-Basha explained to The New York Times. The Almas missile, with its precision-guided capabilities and flexibility for deployment from vehicles, drones, and shoulder-fired tubes, exemplifies this shift.
Lebanese Hezbollah demonstrated its anti-ship missiles as a response to the presence of the US fleet off the coast of Israel pic.twitter.com/fpKqHmdKNN
— S p r i n t e r (@SprinterFamily) November 6, 2023
Israeli forces, who have been conducting operations in southern Lebanon for the past two months, have reportedly captured stockpiles of Hezbollah weaponry, including Almas missiles. The report in The New York Times indicated that while many of the weapons seized are lower-quality munitions, such as Russian-designed Kornet anti-tank missiles, the Almas stands out due to its sophistication.
The Almas missile’s top-attack design allows it to strike tanks and other armored vehicles from above, where they are most vulnerable. This capability has proven particularly effective in the border regions, where Israeli units and equipment have come under increasing threat. The New York Times report explained that this advanced weaponry calls attention to the growing challenge posed by Hezbollah’s evolving arsenal.
The proliferation of weapons such as the Almas shines a spotlight on the increasing influence of Iranian military technology across the Middle East. The New York Times reported that this trend is reshaping the region’s strategic balance, with Hezbollah and other Iranian proxies leveraging advanced weaponry to challenge state actors like Israel.
The Israeli military, already contending with threats on multiple fronts, is now faced with the added complexity of defending against top-tier missile systems developed using its own designs. The New York Times report emphasized that this situation raises urgent questions about the vulnerabilities inherent in modern weapons technology and the risks of battlefield losses leading to long-term strategic disadvantages.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported that Israeli forces in Lebanon have uncovered significant stockpiles of Russian-designed weapons in Hezbollah’s possession, further enhancing the group’s combat capabilities. However, as The New York Times notes, it is the Almas missile that represents a leap forward in Hezbollah’s arsenal, combining precision, flexibility, and destructive power.
For Israel, the presence of the Almas missile on the battlefield serves as both a tactical and symbolic reminder of the long-term consequences of technological proliferation in modern warfare. The New York Times concludes that this development not only complicates immediate military operations but also raises broader concerns about the regional arms race fueled by Iran and its allies.
The Almas missile has undergone continuous development, with at least three known variants and a fourth, advanced version reportedly in use by Hezbollah. According to The New York Times, researchers from the Alma Research and Education Center identified the latest model in June, highlighting enhanced capabilities such as clearer flight imagery transmitted back to operators. These advancements increase the missile’s precision and situational awareness, making it a formidable threat.
The New York Times further detailed that the Almas can carry two types of warheads: a two-phase explosive designed to penetrate armor and a fuel-air bomb that creates a devastating fireball upon detonation. These features allow the missile to target heavily fortified assets, including tanks and bunkers, with lethal effectiveness.
The Iranian government has long funded and armed Hezbollah, enabling the group to expand its arsenal and operational reach. As the report in The New York Times noted, Hezbollah’s role as an Iranian proxy extends beyond Lebanon, with the group fighting alongside Iran in the Syrian civil war and joining attacks on Israel in support of Hamas following the October 7, 2023, assault.
Hezbollah now produces Almas missiles domestically in Lebanon to reduce dependence on Iranian supply chains, according to Israeli defense officials cited by The New York Times. However, Iran remains a key manufacturer, supplying the missiles to both its own military and its regional allies. Smuggling routes through Iraq and Syria reportedly facilitate the transfer of Almas missiles and other weaponry to Hezbollah, further embedding Iranian influence across the region.
The New York Times highlighted that the missile first appeared publicly in 2020 during a delivery of drones to Iran’s military and was showcased in a 2021 Iranian military exercise. While initially reserved for limited use in Syria, the Almas has seen increasing deployment in direct attacks against Israel, with reports of its use in combat emerging in early 2023.
Hezbollah’s use of Almas missiles in recent operations has demonstrated their destructive potential. In January, the group released footage of a missile strike on Israel’s naval base at Rosh Hanikra, situated along the Lebanese border. Subsequent attacks throughout the spring further showcased the missile’s precision and adaptability, The New York Times reported.
Weapons analysts from Janes, a British defense intelligence firm, observed that some Almas missiles used in these operations were produced as recently as 2023. This rapid production underscores the missile’s growing role in Hezbollah’s strategy and its increasing availability across Iranian-backed forces.
The proliferation of Almas missiles represents a broader trend in Iran’s strategy to enhance the capabilities of its proxy forces. According to The New York Times, this development is altering the balance of power in the region, allowing non-state actors like Hezbollah to challenge state militaries with advanced, precision-guided weaponry.
An analysis by the Alma Research and Education Center warned of the missile’s potential to threaten high-value targets beyond Israel, as Iranian proxies expand their reach and technological sophistication. “It is highly likely that weapons from the current and future Almas family will be deployed across all fronts inhabited by Iranian proxies,” the center concluded, as cited by The New York Times.
