Main image: Russian 9M113 Konkurs anti-tank missiles, supplied by Moscow to Syria, are found by troops of the IDF's 646th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade in southern Lebanon, in a handout image published October 24, 2024. (Israel Defense Forces)
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF), conducting a ground military operation in Lebanon, have discovered large stockpiles of modern Russian weapons with Hezbollah militants, significantly surpassing previous estimates.
This was reported by The Times of Israel.
The commander of the IDF, who leads the National Ammunition Disposal Laboratory, stated that 60-70% of the weapons found in the early days of the ground operation in Lebanon were of Russian origin, exceeding previous Israeli military estimates in both quantity and capabilities. This increases the group's ability to strike and kill Israeli soldiers.
Among the weapons found were Kornet anti-tank missiles, manufactured in 2020.
The Wall Street Journal, citing Syrian security forces and an Arab official, notes that many of these weapons originally belonged to the Syrian military, which had been supplied by Russia over many years.
The publication adds that it is still unclear how the weapons made their way into the hands of the Lebanese terrorist group. Previously, Russia and Hezbollah had fought on the side of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad.