Hezbollah Recovers While Occupation Struggles: What Happened to Israel’s Defense System?

Hezbollah has begun to recover from a series of strikes by the Israeli occupation, intensifying its attacks with around 200 rockets launched daily towards the occupied territories. Despite the setbacks, the group still holds a significant arsenal of weapons, according to Hebrew media reports on Thursday.

On the other hand, the Israeli occupation is grappling with a shortage of interceptor missiles. Factories are operating around the clock to produce these missiles, which cost between $30,000 and $3 million each, depending on the defense system.

Israel relies on three main defensive systems: the Iron Dome for intercepting short- and medium-range rockets, the Arrow system, and David’s Sling for intercepting ballistic and long-range missiles.

Since launching a campaign of genocide in Gaza on October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation has been engaged in clashes with factions in Lebanon, including Hezbollah. From September 23 onwards, “Tel Aviv” expanded its assault to include Lebanon and its capital, Beirut, carrying out airstrikes and initiating a ground invasion in southern Lebanon.

Daily, Hezbollah responds by launching rockets, drones, and artillery shells targeting military sites, settlements, and forces attempting to advance into southern Lebanon. While Israel admits some of its casualties and losses, military censorship imposes a strict blackout on most of the damage, according to observers.

The Hebrew economic newspaper “Calcalist” reported on Thursday that the cost of an interceptor missile from the Arrow system ranges between $2 million and $3 million, while a David’s Sling missile costs $700,000. In contrast, an Iron Dome missile is priced at $30,000.

The shortage of interceptor missiles “highlights the ongoing challenge facing Tel Aviv to supply various munitions, as the war that has now entered its second year shows no signs of abating,” the newspaper stated.

Since October 7, 2023, the Israeli occupation, with American support, has been committing a genocide in Gaza that has resulted in over 141,000 Palestinian martyrs and injured, most of whom are children and women. There are also thousands of missing individuals amidst widespread destruction and a famine that has claimed the lives of dozens of children and the elderly.

According to the newspaper, “while Israel does not disclose its stockpile of interceptor missiles, including those for the Arrow or Iron Dome systems, the production of Arrow missiles takes longer than the Iron Dome missiles, which are used to intercept short-range rockets launched from Gaza and Lebanon.”

The report continued, “It is likely that pressure on Israel’s military industries will intensify to increase the production of interceptor missiles as the conflict with Hezbollah escalates, with more rockets and shells being fired at Israel.”

The newspaper also mentioned, “Hezbollah has started to recover from a series of strikes that Israel launched in September, which significantly affected its arsenal of rockets and shells and its leadership capabilities.”

“This recovery is evident in the pace and scope of Hezbollah’s attacks on multiple areas in northern Israel, including regular strikes on Haifa and its surrounding areas,” the report added.

“Hezbollah still possesses a substantial stockpile of rockets and shells, which could increase Israel’s need for more interceptor missiles.”

Since the beginning of the war, Israel’s military industries have been operating in emergency mode, with some production lines working 24/7 to supply the army with weapons and munitions, including interceptor missiles, the newspaper reported.

“At the same time, Israeli arms companies must continue to fulfill production commitments for foreign clients, including militaries engaged in an arms race partly fueled by the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine (since February 2022),” it said.

The newspaper noted that “these foreign production commitments stem from contracts signed before the war, with specific delivery dates.”

“In addition to the challenge of increasing production, the military industries face growing difficulties in obtaining raw materials from abroad,” according to the newspaper.

Referring to public pressure on Western governments amidst Israeli war crimes, the report said, “Israel has encountered increasing hesitation from some countries in supplying essential materials, including metals and electronic components, and a de facto ban has been imposed by several European suppliers.”

“This is the longest war Israel has fought (since its establishment in 1948 on occupied Palestinian land). Historically, Israel’s security doctrine assumed that any military confrontation would last less than a month and would be decisively won through overwhelming force,” the report continued.

“Thus, reserves are designed to provide sufficient resources for a short conflict, not an indefinite war aimed at achieving a vague notion of absolute victory,” a concept often promoted by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Despite continuing to commit genocidal acts in Gaza and Lebanon, Western countries, led by the United States and Germany, continue to supply Israel with weapons and munitions through multi-billion-dollar contracts.

In disregard of the international community, “Tel Aviv” continues its genocidal war in Gaza, ignoring a United Nations Security Council resolution demanding its immediate cessation and the International Court of Justice’s orders to take measures to prevent acts of “genocide” and improve the dire humanitarian situation in the Palestinian enclave.

“Tel Aviv” defies the request of the International Criminal Court’s prosecutor, Karim Khan, to issue arrest warrants for its Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, holding them accountable for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.