IDF seizes Russian, Iranian anti-tank systems from Hezbollah

The instability in the Middle East has persisted since October 7, 2023, when Hamas militants launched a large-scale attack on Israel. A day later, Hezbollah joined the conflict, and the IDF successfully infiltrated two of Hezbollah's underground bases in Lebanon. A brief video has been posted online, displaying fragments of the base searches and the weapons discovered there.

According to the Israeli newspaper Israel Hayom, the local army initially planned to dispose of the seized weapons, but the quantity has led to a change in strategy. The Russian and Iranian arms taken from Hezbollah militants may be integrated into Israeli forces.

From the bases in Lebanon, the Israeli army reportedly transported "dozens of trucks," primarily carrying anti-tank missile systems and their ammunition, along with various types of rifles.

One of the most valuable spoils is the "Almas" family of anti-tank guided missiles, a newer type of weapons Iran produces. Based on the Israeli Spike-LR anti-tank missile, they have a range of about 2.5 miles, with later versions extending this range with tandem warheads that pose a serious threat to Israeli armored vehicles. Regarding the Russian weapons, the seized equipment mainly included Kornet anti-tank missiles with a range of about 3.5 miles.

The portal Defence Express pointed out that the use of captured weapons by the Israeli army is not without precedent. Similar instances occurred after the Six-Day War (primarily with T-54/55 tanks) and later after the Yom Kippur War (including T-62 tanks). By the mid-seventies, captured tanks comprised about 20% of the IDF's armored fleet, which now predominantly relies on indigenous Merkava tanks, developed as a result of insights from the Yom Kippur War.