Hezbollah prepares for new regional conflict with Iranian funding, sources say

Lebanese security officials familiar with Hezbollah's activities say the armed group has spent three months preparing for the possible resumption of hostilities with Israel after receiving cash funding from Iran.

The group, founded by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1982, has suffered heavy losses in two wars with Israel since 2024, resulting in the deaths of thousands of fighters and many of its leaders, as well as the destruction of a significant portion of its arsenal.

Israeli forces are currently occupying Hezbollah strongholds in villages in southern Lebanon, and political pressure in Beirut to disarm the group has been mounting.

Nevertheless, Hezbollah remains committed to fighting Israel. Two Lebanese security sources told Reuters the group has used the lull in fighting since June to rearm, focusing on acquiring explosives and producing drones that can be directed at Israeli positions.

One of the sources, along with another source close to Hezbollah, said the group received tens of millions of dollars from Iran to help boost its military capabilities. This comes in addition to around $200 million provided by Tehran to support displaced families in Hezbollah's Shiite strongholds, as previously reported by Reuters earlier this month.

One of these sources and three other security officials familiar with the group's operations said Hezbollah is working to rebuild its command and control structures, which collapsed during key battles.

In response to questions from Reuters, Hezbollah's media office said Israel's occupation of Lebanese territory makes any resistance a legitimate right. The office denied that the group's command and control systems had collapsed.

The Israeli military declined to comment. Iran's permanent mission to the United Nations in Geneva has not yet responded to Reuters' questions.

A US State Department spokesperson said Washington will continue to choke off Hezbollah's financial resources through sanctions and other measures. A US Treasury spokesperson said Iran's funds are running low, as are its means of transferring money.