Hamas Builds Military Infrastructure in Southern Lebanon with Hezbollah Support

Hamas established its military presence in southern Lebanon gradually, starting with the expulsion of its operatives in the early 1990s, but a secret military infrastructure plan only took shape around 2012. Captured Hamas documents from a military operation in Gaza reveal that senior Hamas leaders, including Yahya Sinwar, collaborated with Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah and Quds Force Palestine branch head Mohammad Saeed Izadi to transform Lebanon into another front of resistance against Israel.

According to the Amichai Institute for Terror and Intelligence Research, by May 2021 during Operation Guardian of the Walls, Hamas had already activated an initial operational infrastructure in southern Lebanon, launching rockets with Hezbollah's approval. After delays caused by Iranian concerns over uncoordinated activities and internal disputes involving Khaled Meshaal's attempts to control the project, Hamas's military wing assumed command. The plan included creating a military force to act as a spearhead in a multi-front conflict.

Hamas's military wing in Lebanon actively participated alongside Hezbollah in combat starting October 8, 2023, claiming responsibility for 13 attacks on northern Israel through November 2024. These operations resulted in the deaths of over twenty Hamas commanders and operatives. Despite Hamas's commitments to Lebanese authorities after shooting incidents in March 2025 to respect Lebanon's sovereignty, the group refuses to comply with government orders to disarm.

Experts suggest that enforcing disarmament on Hamas could neutralize its military wing and significantly weaken its influence in Palestinian refugee camps, where it competes with Fatah and the PLO. The Amichai Institute emphasizes that Hamas's military infrastructure in Lebanon was a strategic, evolving project integral to its multi-front conflict strategy with Israel. While internal challenges and tensions with Iran and Hezbollah limited its full potential, Hamas's involvement in Lebanon's fighting confirmed the project's realization. Unlike Lebanon's cautious approach toward Hezbollah's weapons, a decision to disarm Hamas could dismantle a critical operational front against Israel and diminish Hamas's standing among Palestinian factions in Lebanon.