Hamas Built Military Infrastructure in Lebanon to Open New Front Against Israel

Captured Hamas documents obtained by the Israel Defense Forces in Gaza reveal that Hamas has been developing a military infrastructure in Lebanon for years as part of a strategic plan to open an additional front against Israel. According to research by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, senior Hamas officials discussed establishing a military force in Lebanon as early as 2012 with Hassan Nasrallah and a representative of the Quds Force. The plan included combat units, rocket launches, preparations for infiltrations into Israel, and procurement and production of weapons.

By the 2021 "Guardian of the Walls" operation, this infrastructure was operational, with Hamas firing rockets from Lebanon with Hezbollah's approval and operating a joint command center in Beirut alongside Hezbollah and Iranian representatives. After the campaign, Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar pushed to expand the project. Documents from 2022 indicate a goal of about 2,000 fighters intended to act as a vanguard alongside the Radwan force for incursions into Israel.

Although the plan did not fully materialize to Hamas's ambitions, during the war that began after October 7, Hamas's military wing in Lebanon fought alongside Hezbollah and was responsible for 13 attacks against northern Israel. The roots of this activity trace back to the early 1990s, particularly after 415 Hamas and Islamic Jihad operatives were expelled to Marj al-Zohour in 1992, where Hamas deepened ties with Hezbollah, Iran, and Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon.

The current significance is that if the Lebanese government enforces disarmament on Hamas, it would neutralize another military front against Israel and weaken Hamas's hold on refugee camps and its standing against Fatah and the PLO.