The Wall Street Journal reported on Thursday that “the US has intelligence that the Wagner Group, the Russian paramilitary group, may provide an air defense system to Hezbollah.”
Hezbollah already has an impressive arsenal. The addition of air defenses beyond its existing surface-to-air missiles would appear to make the group more of a threat.
The report says that “the system in question is the SA-22, which uses antiaircraft missiles and air defense guns, to intercept aircraft.” The report says that a US official could not confirm if the system had been sent. “Wagner has personnel in Syria, where Hezbollah fighters have also been present.”
It’s worth looking at the context here. Iran has sought to supply Hezbollah with air defenses in the past. In addition, a report at Asharq al-Awsat said in July that Hezbollah has already improved its air defenses. This included a reference to SA-8 and SA-22 systems. In addition, a report at Ynet in 2018 said Iran had tried to move its 3rd Khordad system to T-4 base in Syria.
This was the same base Iran used for drones. Iran backs Hezbollah and Hezbollah operates in Syria.
Hezbollah had sought more advanced air defenses
Therefore, it was already known that Hezbollah had sought more advanced air defenses. The SA-22 had already been mentioned in the past. However, the SA-22 is a system that may not be very helpful to Hezbollah. First of all, it is a system that is mounted on a truck.
The SA-22 is also known as the Pantsir. It has been improved over the years since its development decades ago. It combines both guns and missiles. It uses a radar system to track targets. It can track several targets at the same time.
However, it has difficulty when it has to deal with multiple targets coming from various directions. In Libya and Syria, the system did not perform well against Turkish Bayraktar drones, for instance.
The system sits on a large 8 by 8 wheeled chassis, pulled by a truck. It combines two 30mm cannons that can fire up to 2,500 rounds per minute, according to sources; with missiles. It can fire 12 interceptors and track targets up to 24km away. The system has not performed well in Syria or Libya. It’s not clear why it would be a game changer for Hezbollah, but it could pose a threat to aircraft and drones and therefore it is certainly a threat to the region. Any armaments for Hezbollah are a threat.
The overall problem is that Hezbollah operates as an illegal terrorist army in Lebanon. The fact that it can import any air defense is a problem. The fact that it works with other groups like Wagner potentially presents a threat to the region. It shows how these “non-state” actors can create huge problems.
The Russia-Iran nexus
Therefore the context of Hezbollah seeking air defense systems is part of a much broader problem. It is part of the Iran-Russia nexus of how Iran and Russia are destabilizing Syria and the region and how Russia has also slammed Israel in the wake of the Hamas attack.
Any chance that Russian groups might be in touch with Hezbollah, along with Iran’s existing smuggling routes to Hezbollah, presents a strategic threat to the region.
Hezbollah has increased its attacks on Israel recently. It fired a surface-to-air missile at a drone this week. Therefore the group is showing its capabilities and how it is willing to use weapons with impunity. Israel has responded, but Hezbollah keeps up its threats.
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