Middle East crisis: Israeli strikes on Beirut escalate conflict

In recent days, tension in the Middle East has been escalating. Shelling directed towards Beirut since Monday, 23 September, has tragically resulted in the loss of several hundred lives, including that of high-ranking Hezbollah commander Ibrahim Kubaisi. The Israeli army is intensifying attacks on the group's targets in Lebanon – but what weapons could Hezbollah respond with?

The conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is deepening. Long-standing tensions have turned into bloody confrontations in recent days. One such action involved Israeli forces in Lebanon using modified pagers that detonated immediately upon receiving a message.

Shortly afterwards, Israel conducted massive shelling towards Lebanon. In the strikes that have been ongoing since Monday, 23 September, several hundred people have been killed – the latest figures indicate over 550 fatalities and nearly 2,000 injured.

What means could Hezbollah use to respond? This Shiite group is one of the main elements of the Lebanese government and is considered very well-equipped and trained. Here are some of the weapons that Hezbollah possesses.

The group possesses a large array of rockets and weapon systems and develops modern technologies such as drones. In terms of infantry, Hezbollah's numbers are limited—especially compared to the 170,000-strong Israeli army. Hezbollah has about 30,000 soldiers in active service, with nearly as many in reserve, approximately 20,000.

Iran is partly responsible for Hezbollah's arsenal. Tehran supplies the organisation with various types of drones, which are used for strikes and aerial reconnaissance. Iran not only supplies this equipment but also manufactures it.

Hezbollah thus has a wide range of unmanned weaponry, i.e., drones. These primarily include Mirsad 1/Ababil-T drones with a range exceeding 62 miles, but also the Mohajer 4, which can reach distances of 93 miles from the launch site. Additionally, there is the Ma'arab drone with a range of 124 miles. More valuable, however, are the Karrar drones, with a range of 621 miles and the Shahed-129, reaching up to 1,243 miles.

In Hezbollah's arsenal are also BM-21 Grad calibre 4.8-inch launchers, popular Soviet self-propelled rocket launchers from the 1960s. They can target objects 12 miles away, and thanks to a maximum speed of about 50 mph and a range of over 248 miles, they are mobile and can easily move around the front. Also included are BM-27 Uragan calibre 8.7-inch launchers, capable of hitting targets up to 37 miles away.

The Lebanese organisation also possesses Bastion systems used for combating naval units. These advanced Russian-origin missile systems have enormous offensive potential and can be employed to attack large enemy naval forces.

The main focus, however, should be on the missiles and rockets in Hezbollah's arsenal. According to sources cited by CNN, the group is believed to possess 120,000-200,000 different missiles. These include various ballistic missiles, such as the Iranian Zelzal-1 and Zelzal-2, capable of attacking targets 78-130 miles away. The most dangerous weapons in the organisation's arsenal are the Fateh-110 ballistic missiles, which can achieve a range of 186 miles and carry very precise warheads thanks to inertial and satellite navigation, alongside the SCUD-B/C/D with a range of up to 311 miles.

In Hezbollah's arsenal, smaller units used for attacks within a range of less than 62 miles primarily include the Khaibar-1 (range 62 miles), Fajr-5 (46 miles), and its smaller version, the Fajr-3, which reaches a distance of 25 miles.