by Seth J. Frantzman
The weapons run the gamut from those supplied by Iran to weapons with origins in Russia.
 |
The Israel Defense Forces have seized masses of weapons from Hezbollah in almost two months of fighting on the ground in Lebanon. These include rocket launchers, vehicles with machine guns mounted on them, anti-tank missiles, rifles, and RPG launchers.
The weapons run the gamut from those supplied by Iran to weapons with origins in Russia. Some are old, likely dating back decades, and some were found in boxes, as yet unwrapped by the terrorist group. The IDF has released photos of some of these weapons and also put some of them on display.
What do some of these weapons tell us?
The vehicles
Hezbollah used a variety of types of vehicles to mount rocket launchers and guns. Some of these vehicles were found in villages in southern Lebanon. The vehicles include all-terrain vehicles or ATVs that Hezbollah could use to quickly move its forces into position to launch anti-tank missiles, and they included a number of civilian trucks repurposed to carry rocket launchers and machine guns.
Hezbollah often chose Toyota trucks to mount it weapons, but it also used jeeps, Chevy and GMC trucks. The rocket launchers are mounted on the back, and they can usually launch a barrage of rockets. For instance, they usually have a barrel set-up that includes 12 tubes for rockets. These can fire 107mm rockets. They also had M-80 launchers on the back of trucks. These rockets weigh around 10kg, and Hezbollah unveiled this system recently in a video posted on Iranian state media.
The trucks enable Hezbollah to move these systems quickly to the front and fire from a variety of locations. The trucks also appear outwardly as civilian vehicles in most cases, so one can easily disguise the launcher in the back by placing something over it, such as a carpet or blanket. Once Israel began its ground operation and air campaign against Hezbollah, it was likely hard for them to move these systems around, leaving many of the trucks to be found and seized.
The 107mm rockets
Hezbollah uses 107mm rockets. These have a weight of 18kg. They are about the length of a person’s arm. The rockets are very common among Iranian-backed groups. Iran has sought to move these similar types of rockets to Gaza in the past and has also moved them to Iraq to supply Iranian-backed militias in Iraq. In 2019 and 2020, Iraqi militias often used these rockets to target US forces in Iraq. The rockets do not have a long-range, likely around seven miles.
The rockets found in Lebanon appear to be a very typical Iranian-made variety. This is clear from the color of the casing of the munition and also other details such as the printed manufacture date on the side. Some rockets say they were made in 2007.
This would mean that Iran supplied these to Hezbollah after the 2006 Lebanon war to replenish its stocks. Hezbollah had around 13,000 rockets in 2006. By 2023, it had 150,000. The 107mm rocket is a common type that is also easy to transport. It can be loaded into crates and transported and easily disguised as being something other than rockets. Moving thousands of these rockets is not very difficult.
This explains, in some part, the large arsenal Hezbollah acquired. Hezbollah often placed these rockets inside tubes ready to fire. Usually, these are in tubes that consist of 12 tubes so that they can be fired in a barrage of 12 or 24 rockets at a time. They can likely be remotely fired from a fixed position in the ground, or they can be fired from a mount on a truck.
81mm mortars
Hezbollah also acquired a plethora of 81mm mortars. These have manufacturing dates of 2009, 2011, and 2012, and likely other dates. The mortars are also short-range, and Hezbollah used them earlier in the war against Israel. Once Hezbollah was pushed back from the border, it seems to have reduced its use of mortars. However, it is clear that the group acquired a plethora of these munitions. Some of those found and photographed after being seized in Lebanon by the IDF showed the mortars appeared like new as if they had been trafficked to Hezbollah and sat around for years.
The mortars can be launched from a tube on a tripod. These also include tubes for 120mm mortars, which Hezbollah also acquired.
Anti-tank weapons
Hezbollah acquired a large number of anti-tank missiles and RPGs. It acquired kornet anti-tank missiles. It also acquired PG-7 AT rounds.
These are likely Iranian-made RPG-7 projectiles of the same type that have been found in Yemen. One source says that these are called Fath in Iran. They were trafficked to Hezbollah in boxes that contained six rounds each. The box weighs around 30kg, and it could be easily disguised as something other than RPG rounds. Manufacture dates include 2008 and 2010 origin, meaning they were made many years ago in Iran.
Another system, which Hezbollah mounted on ATVs, is the 9P163-1 portable launcher for the Kornet-E. It can be used with a sigh-tracker and thermal sights, which makes it very precise. It is used with the 9M133 type of Kornet anti-tank missile. The system has been around since the 1990s and was designed by the Russians. It was designed to be used against tanks. Hezbollah has used anti-tank weapons to target homes and also various types of vehicles.
Drones, rifles, and launchers
Hezbollah also acquired masses of AK-47s, Draganov sniper rifles, as well as other types of large caliber rifles and various types of launchers that can fire anti-tank weapons. For instance, Hezbollah acquired the Iranian Toophan system, which fires an anti-tank-guided missile. The system sits on a heavy tripod with an optical viewfinder. Iran also sent Hezbollah SPG-9 launchers. Hezbollah developed drones locally that it has used in the war.
In general, Hezbollah lost large amounts of weapons in southern Lebanon, including rockets, mortars, and anti-tank weapons. These had been stored in homes and villages that were overrun by the IDF. Hezbollah likely left these weapons in various areas so that it could use them at a moment’s notice. Confiscating them is an important achievement.
Seth J. Frantzman
Source: https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-830946
No comments:
Post a Comment