Hezbollah Spends Tens of Millions on Drone Production After Three-Month Pause

Three months of quiet have allowed Hezbollah to spend tens of millions of dollars on military upgrades. The funds came from a new cash injection by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Two Lebanese security sources briefed on the activities said the group is preparing for a possible resumption of hostilities with Israel.

The new funding is separate from the roughly $200 million Tehran provided earlier this month. The money is being used to procure explosives and produce drones. These drones are designed to fly into the security zone that Israeli Defense Forces troops currently occupy in southern Lebanon. The group is also working to restore command-and-control structures that broke down during recent battles.

One security source and another official close to Hezbollah confirmed the flow of cash. They stated the goal is to boost the group's military capabilities. Other security officials familiar with the operations said the group is repairing its command systems after losses on key fronts. These fronts include the flashpoint town of Bint Jbeil and the strategic Ali al-Taher ridge.

Officials noted that Hezbollah's previous tactic of operating in small units left some groups isolated. Those units struggled to confront Israel's remotely operated systems, which include 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 troops.

Hezbollah's media office rejected the idea that its command-and-control systems had broken down. Israel's military declined to comment on the report. 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 strangling Hezbollah's finances through sanctions.

A US Treasury spokesperson said Iran was running out of money and ways to move it. The regional tensions stem from the US-Israeli war with Iran that began in February. Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 in support of Tehran. That action triggered an Israeli response and led to evacuations in southern Lebanon.

Hostilities largely stopped during the summer under an interim deal between the US and Iran. That agreement included a Lebanon ceasefire and Washington-mediated talks between Lebanon and Israel. Full-scale fighting has not resumed despite the later collapse of the US-Iranian deal, though Israel continues strikes in the south. A Hezbollah official said the explosives seized by Lebanese authorities this month belonged to the group and were intended for its explosive drones.

Lebanese security sources said the group has not yet fully prepared its stockpiles or fighting force. The group remains on alert for a potential escalation between the US and Iran. Hezbollah has not explicitly stated whether it would join fresh hostilities, but its media office said it is wary of giving Israeli leaders justification to escalate efforts against it.