Amid ongoing shelling and escalating tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, a new threat has emerged: Hezbollah's potential possession of electromagnetic pulse (EMP) weapons. Recent reports, primarily from Arab media, suggest that Iran, a key supporter and trainer of Hezbollah, may have supplied the militant group with advanced EMP technology. 

According to sources from Iran's Quds Force cited by Kuwaiti newspaper Al-Jarida, Hezbollah now possesses bombs and missiles equipped with electromagnetic warheads. These EMP devices could potentially be launched from fixed platforms or delivered via drones, targeting critical infrastructure deep within Israel. The impact could be severe, potentially crippling communications and electronic systems essential for Israel's military operations.

The notion of Hezbollah wielding such advanced weaponry has captured significant attention. While the threat is alarming, the authenticity of these claims remains uncertain. Iran is known for its strategic bluster about its military capabilities, which sometimes overshadows the more tangible aspects of its defense technology. Historical examples include Iran's repeated claims of advanced stealth fighters that failed to meet their stated specifications. Despite this, Iran has indeed made strides in developing ballistic missiles and drones, which suggests the potential feasibility of EMP technology.

EMP weapons, which can be either nuclear or non-nuclear, pose different levels of threat. Nuclear EMPs generate massive bursts of electromagnetic energy capable of causing widespread electrical disruptions, potentially affecting entire regions. In contrast, non-nuclear EMPs (NNEMPs) are smaller and less powerful but can still significantly disrupt electronic systems within a localized area. NNEMPs can be relatively inexpensive to produce and are known to be operationally deployable using commercially available components.

While Iran does possess the technological capability to develop a nuclear EMP weapon, such a move would trigger substantial geopolitical consequences, potentially provoking a military response from Israel and its allies. A non-nuclear EMP weapon, while less dramatic in scale, could still cause substantial damage and chaos, especially if used strategically against key Israeli targets.

Retired General Joseph Votel, a former head of US Central Command, told Business Insider that Iran could indeed be exploring EMP technology as a strategic tool for operations below the threshold of direct conflict. Hezbollah, as a prominent proxy of Iran, might be a recipient of such advanced weaponry, although concrete evidence of this remains elusive.

"I think it is reasonable to assume that Iran has looked at these types of weapons, either through their own proliferation efforts or through their growing linkages and relationships with Russia, China and North Korea,"Votel told Business Insider.

"I do believe they would look at EMP as a weapon that could be employed in 'gray zone' activities below the level of open conflict," said Votel, now a senior fellow at the Middle East Institute, a Washington-based think tank. "Especially if it could be employed with more targeted results, like knocking out electronics in a specific geographic area."

"Of all members of the so-called Axis of Resistance, Hezbollah would be a likely candidate to receive these types of weapons," Votel said. "But I have not seen any evidence that this is the case. Like most special capabilities, there is a level of training and sophistication that must accompany its deployment."

The impact of EMP weapons on Israel, given its relatively small geographic size, could be profound. Even a limited deployment of EMP devices could severely disrupt military and civilian communications, potentially facilitating a Hezbollah attack. A large-scale EMP attack could cause significant economic damage to Israel, which has a substantial economy reliant on its high-tech sector.

However, such an attack could be perceived as a weapon of mass destruction, prompting a severe response from Israel, possibly involving its own EMP strikes. This scenario underscores the delicate balance of proxy warfare and direct confrontation in the region, where advanced weaponry could escalate conflicts to unprecedented levels.