Israel Detects Iran Increasing Arms Smuggling to Hezbollah via Syrian Border

Israeli security agencies have recently identified a rise in attempts by Iran to smuggle weapons into Lebanon through the Syrian border, with the goal of arming Hezbollah. According to a security source, Iran's Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force is responsible for financing and managing these smuggling operations to ensure arms reach Hezbollah directly. This escalation is seen as part of Hezbollah's efforts to rebuild and rearm during the current ceasefire period.

A security official told Channel 12 News that Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire to strengthen itself and has intensified smuggling attempts through Syria. Despite recent seizures of weapons by Syrian and Lebanese forces, many arms shipments reportedly evade detection and successfully enter Lebanon. Israeli authorities view this increased smuggling as a key reason to maintain freedom of action within Syria, as uncovering a significant arms transfer could justify Israeli strikes inside Syrian territory to neutralize the threat.

This is not the first time Iran has attempted to supply weapons to terrorist groups. In October 2025, the Israel Defense Forces and Shin Bet thwarted a large shipment of advanced weaponry from Iran intended for terrorist operatives in the West Bank. That intercepted shipment included anti-tank rockets, explosive charges, drones capable of carrying explosives, hand grenades, and machine guns.