This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Signs of growing shock within Israeli political and military circles are emerging over Hezbollah’s military capabilities, with officials acknowledging that previous intelligence assessments may have significantly underestimated the group’s strength.
The reassessment follows Hezbollah’s forceful entry into the confrontation alongside the ongoing regional war involving Iran, prompting concerns in Israel about the prospect of a prolonged war of attrition.
According to Hebrew media reports and analysis, earlier Israeli evaluations suggested that Hezbollah’s capabilities had weakened, particularly after disruptions to supply lines linked to developments in Syria.
However, recent battlefield developments appear to have contradicted those assumptions.
READ: Houthi- and Hezbollah-linked group threatens to target Barakah nuclear facility in Abu Dhabi
Momen Miqdad, a researcher specialising in Israeli affairs, said a state of surprise now prevails within the Israeli establishment, particularly given Hezbollah’s military performance after months of relative silence.
“Hezbollah maintained silence despite Israeli strikes and assassinations targeting its members in southern Lebanon, which gave the occupation the false impression that its capabilities had declined,” he said.
Miqdad added that Israeli media outlets, including Channel 12, had previously reported intelligence assessments indicating that Hezbollah had become weaker than in previous years.
“These assessments have now been proven inaccurate by developments on the ground,” he said.
The shift in perception has raised concerns within Israel about the scale of Hezbollah’s preparedness and the potential for an extended and costly confrontation along the northern front.
READ: Hezbollah says it struck Israeli military communications station in Ella Valley
This work by Middle East Monitor is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
- Iran in talks with FIFA to move 2026 World Cup matches from US to Mexico
- US counterterrorism chief resigns over opposition to Iran war
- US-Israeli actions ‘have no basis under international law,’ says Scottish leader
- US warship heads to Middle East as Iran war escalates
- UN rights office slams Israeli threats to inflict Gaza-level destruction on Lebanon
- UN report says Israeli settlements driving displacement, violence in West Bank
- Russia protests Israeli strike near Bushehr nuclear plant
- Iran says Strait of Hormuz open to all except US and allies
- Israel shocked by Hezbollah capabilities amid fears of prolonged war
- Tehran warns US against attacks on Kharg Island oil facilities
- Trump advisers express regret over Iran war planning: Axios report