Hezbollah Prepares for Israeli Return with Fresh Iranian Drone Funding

Hezbollah has spent the last three months preparing for a potential return to war with Israel, according to two Lebanese security sources briefed on the group's activities. The militia is using a lull in hostilities that began in June to procure explosives and manufacture drones designed to fly into the security zone occupied by Israeli troops in southern Lebanon.

The group received tens of millions of dollars from Iran to boost its military capabilities, one source and an individual close to Hezbollah told Reuters. This new funding is separate from an estimated $200 million in aid Tehran provided earlier this month, as reported by Reuters. The infusion of cash aims to restore command-and-control structures that collapsed during key battles in previous conflicts.

Hezbollah was founded by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1982. It has suffered severe losses in two wars with Israel since 2024, which left thousands of fighters and many leaders dead and destroyed much of its arsenal. Despite these setbacks, the group remains committed to attacking Israel. Israeli troops now occupy a security zone in southern Lebanon, and political pressure in Beirut has increased for the militia's disarmament.

The current rebuilding effort takes place against the backdrop of a wider Middle Eastern conflict ignited by the US-Israeli war with Iran, which began in February. Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, prompting an Israeli response that led to the evacuation of thousands of people, mostly Shi'ite Muslims, from areas in southern Lebanon. Hostilities largely stopped over the summer when an interim Iran-US deal included a Lebanon ceasefire and Washington-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel.

Full-scale fighting has not resumed in Lebanon even after the US-Iranian deal collapsed, though Israel continues to strike Hezbollah targets in the south. The group is on alert for a possible escalation between the US and Iran that could reignite the Lebanon front. Sources told Reuters that Hezbollah has not yet fully prepared its stockpiles or fighting force and is still restocking.

The group acknowledged this month that explosives seized by Lebanese authorities belonged to it. A Hezbollah official and a Lebanese security source stated the materials were intended for use against Israel, specifically for its explosive drones. The militia also needs to repair command capabilities after losses on key fronts, including the town of Bint Jbeil and the Ali al-Taher ridge.

Lebanese sources said Hezbollah's tactic of operating in small units and rationing anti-tank rockets left some units isolated on those fronts. These isolated units struggled to confront Israeli remotely operated systems, including weaponized drones and armed remote-controlled vehicles. The Israeli military told Reuters it uses these systems to monitor southern Lebanon and reduce threat exposure for its troops.

Hezbollah's media office rejected the suggestion that its command-and-control systems had broken down. Israel's military declined to comment, and Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva did not immediately respond to questions. A US State Department spokesman said Washington would continue to restrict Hezbollah's finances through sanctions. A US Treasury spokesperson stated that Iran is running out of money and ways to move it.

Hezbollah has not explicitly said whether it would join fresh hostilities. Its media office said it is wary of giving Israeli leaders justification to escalate efforts against the group.