Israel shocked by Hezbollah capabilities amid fears of prolonged war

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.

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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.

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