Lebanese Militia: Three-Month Rebuild With New Iranian Cash

Hezbollah has used the past three months to prepare for potential renewed conflict with Israel following a new financial injection from Iran, Lebanese security personnel said. The group is focusing on procuring explosives and producing drones capable of entering the security zone currently occupied by Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

Two Lebanese security sources and an individual close to the organization stated that the militia received tens of millions of dollars in fresh funding from Iran. This amount is separate from approximately $200 million that Tehran provided earlier this month, as previously reported by Reuters.

The militia, established by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1982, has suffered substantial losses in two conflicts with Israel since 2024. Thousands of fighters and numerous leaders were killed, and a large portion of the group's arsenal was destroyed. Despite these setbacks, the organization remains committed to attacking Israel and has utilized the pause in hostilities since June to rearm.

Security officials indicated that the group is working to restore command-and-control structures that collapsed during key battles. One source and three other security officials familiar with the operations said the leadership is repairing these capabilities after sustaining losses on critical fronts, including the town of Bint Jbeil and the Ali al-Taher ridge.

Hezbollah's media office disputed the characterization that its command systems had broken down. The organization acknowledged this month that explosives seized by Lebanese authorities belonged to the group and were intended for use against Israel. A Hezbollah official and a Lebanese security source specified that these materials were for explosive drones.

The rearmament effort occurs against a backdrop of continued regional tension. Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, leading to an Israeli response and the evacuation of many Shi'ite residents from southern Lebanon. Hostilities largely ceased over the summer due to an interim Iran-US deal that included a Lebanon ceasefire, though full-scale war has not resumed despite the collapse of that agreement.

A US State Department spokesman stated that Washington intends to continue constraining the group's finances through sanctions. A US Treasury spokesperson noted that Iran is depleting its funds and methods for transferring money. Israel's military declined to comment, and Iran's mission to the United Nations in Geneva did not immediately respond to inquiries.

Lebanese sources reported that Hezbollah has not yet fully prepared its stockpiles or fighting force. The group is on alert for a potential US-Iran escalation that could reignite the Lebanon front. The media office said the organization was careful about its public stance to avoid providing Israeli leaders with justification to escalate efforts against it.