The Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem Post reported that Lebanese Resistance faction Hezbollah possessed some 2,000 unmanned aerial vehicles, many of which are advanced UAVs, as well as other indigenously made aircraft.

The assertions came from an ALMA Research Center report.

According to the report, Hezbollah has long been using UAVs against the Israeli occupation, exactly since the 1990s. The resistance movement has several times launched drones into the occupied Palestinian territories, even before the 2006 Israeli war on Lebanon.

It also cited several Hezbollah operations against the Israeli occupation, including a 2012 operation which saw the Lebanese resistance launching several drones over the Mediterranean Sea and into Al-Naqab before the Israeli occupation forces claimed to intercept the aircraft.

In 2013, Hezbollah had only 200 UAVs but has since significantly increased its fleet.

The Lebanese faction also owns scores of civilian Chinese drones used for photography and other operations.

Fleet has advanced operational capabilities

The report also suggests that Hezbollah "most likely" has advanced models, such as the Iranian Mohajer, Shahed, Samed, Karrar, and Saegheh.

The fleet, the report  also said, not only has a significant range of over 2,000 km but also "very advanced development and operational capabilities."

Much of Hezbollah's fleet is either provided by Iran or manufactured through Iranian-provided technology. 

Iran possesses thousands of UAVs

The report noted that Iran had since 1984 been building its "UAV Army," going on to praise the capabilities of its fleet.

It brought to light nine types of UAVs and 48 models, including operational ones and those still in trial phases.

ALMA also discussed UAV models used by Hezbollah, Hamas, and Palestinian Islamic Jihad in the Gaza Strip.

The JPost article explained that Tehran does not only use unmanned aircraft for operations but also to transport weapons to allies. 

The newspaper also reminded that Iran had unveiled in April that it had developed a drone with a combat warhead weighing between 5 kg and 15 kg, with an operational range of 400 km.

Iran trying to transfer knowledge to Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Palestine: Gantz

Israeli Security Minister Benny Gantz said Iranian unmanned aerial vehicles are one of the most important tools that Iran developed. 

"One of the key tools is UAVs and precision weapons, which can reach strategic targets within thousands of kilometers," endangering international troops in the Middle East and also countries in Europe and Africa, Gantz added.

Iranians are manufacturing and exporting these aircraft to their allies, the minister asserted, citing the role of the Air Force of the IRGC and Quds Force.

"Iran is trying to transfer its knowledge that will enable Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Gaza to produce advanced UAVs," he underscored.