Hezbollah’s extensive weapons arsenal could overwhelm Israel’s air defenses in all-out war – Washington Post

As Hezbollah continues to launch near-daily attacks on northern Israel, analysts believe that the Iran-backed terror group has stockpiled 130,000 to 150,000 rockets and missiles, the Washington Post says in a report examining the group’s weapons arsenal and the extent of the attacks it could be capable of launching against Israel in a full-fledged war.

According to the report, the majority of Hezbollah’s weapons are low-grade unguided munitions, but they could still overwhelm Israel’s aerial defenses if launched in large enough quantities.

Israel has “already spent a lot of Iron Dome interceptors during the war in Gaza,” Fabian Hinz, a defense and military analyst at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, tells the Washington Post. “How many do they have left?”

In addition, Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah has also claimed that the group possesses precision-guided missiles, although they have never been revealed to the public.

Another weapon that could call into doubt Israel’s level of preparation is the short-range “Fatah” ballistic missile that Hezbollah has in its arsenal, the report says. The missile can travel 155 to 186 miles and contains 992 to 1,1012 pounds of explosives.

While Israel has the necessary air defense to defend itself against smaller drone and missile attacks,  Shaan Shaikh, a fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and deputy director of its Missile Defense Project, tells the Washington Post that it may not be able to do so against Fatah missiles and others like it.

“How effective are David’s Sling and Arrow interceptors against these missiles?” he says. “Can the IDF detect, track and fire on these missiles while they’re being prepped for launch?”