Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon have discovered significant stockpiles of advanced Russian-made weapons in Hezbollah's confiscated bunkers, according to a report by The Wall Street Journal. The findings reportedly confirm Israeli suspicions that the militant group has significantly enhanced its arsenal with sophisticated weaponry supplied through Syria.  

Among the uncovered arms are modern Kornet anti-tank missile systems manufactured as recently as 2020, alongside other advanced guided missile systems. Syrian security officials and an Arab source told The Wall Street Journal that these weapons were transferred to Hezbollah from Russian stockpiles in Syria, where Russia has long supported the Syrian military with extensive arms supplies.  

According to the report, the cache, discovered in Hezbollah bunkers near the Israeli border, far exceeds previous Israeli military estimates in both quantity and sophistication. Prior assessments of Hezbollah's arsenal identified older, Soviet-era Russian weapons. However, limited access to southern Lebanon since the 2006 Second Lebanon War had restricted the Israeli army's ability to assess the group’s current capabilities.  

The newly discovered weapons, which include advanced anti-tank systems such as Metis, Konkurs, Fagots, and Saggers, are a significant upgrade. Military analysts believe this bolstered arsenal is responsible for recent casualties among Israeli soldiers.  

The discoveries have reignited concerns over Russia’s regional actions and their implications for Israeli security.

“We must explain and convey to the Russians that we will no longer stand any assistance to Hezbollah and Iran that could hurt Israelis,” Arkady Mil-Man, a former Israeli ambassador to Russia and a senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies in Tel Aviv, told The Wall Street Journal. 

Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2022, analysts say Moscow has shifted its posture in the Middle East, increasingly challenging the U.S. and its allies. Reports earlier this year indicated that Russia provided targeting data to Yemen’s Houthi rebels during attacks on Western vessels in the Red Sea, and U.S. officials have suggested that Russia is considering supplying anti-ship missiles to the Houthis.  

Russia’s role in Syria, where it has supported President Bashar al-Assad since the outbreak of the civil war in 2011, appears to have facilitated Hezbollah's access to these weapons. By 2015, Russian forces were operating alongside Hezbollah in Syria, fostering closer ties between Moscow and the group.  

At Israel's National Munition Disassembly Lab, the report added, an Israeli major revealed that 60-70% of the captured weapons were Russian-made. Some of these bore markings indicating shipment from Russia to Syria’s Ministry of Defense.