Russian and Chinese Anti-Ship Missiles in Hezbollah’s Arsenal That Israel Fears

The military arsenal possessed by Hezbollah continues to pose a constant threat to the Israeli occupation army.

Earlier on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office announced that a drone launched from Lebanon targeted his residence in Caesarea. Fortunately, he was not present at the time.

This incident follows another attack a few days ago when a Hezbollah drone targeted a military base belonging to the Golani Brigade. The drone successfully bypassed air defenses, killing four soldiers and injuring 61 others, including eight who sustained severe injuries. This marks the highest number of casualties among the occupation forces in a single day since October 2023.

According to Israeli Army Radio, the drone that exploded in Caesarea was of the same model as the one that struck the Golani camp, and it is challenging to intercept.

The Hebrew newspaper Maariv described the drone attack on Netanyahu’s home in Caesarea, south of Haifa, as a “severe security failure.”

However, the threat posed by Hezbollah to Israel is not limited to its missile capabilities and drones that can target ground forces and military bases of the occupation army. This threat also includes anti-ship missiles that pose a danger to the Israeli navy.

The focus on these anti-ship missiles centers around two types, one of which Hezbollah used during the Second Lebanon War in 2006.

Hezbollah’s Anti-Ship Missiles

Hezbollah first proved its possession of anti-ship missiles in 2006 when it struck an Israeli warship 16 kilometers off the coast with a C-802 missile. This attack resulted in the death of four Israeli personnel and damaged the ship, according to a report by the Israeli newspaper Jerusalem Post.

The report, titled “A Dangerous Player: Hezbollah’s Secret Maritime Threat,” pointed out that Hezbollah still maintains an operational maritime arm equipped with anti-ship missiles and possibly even maritime ballistic missiles.

According to the report, the Israeli occupation army has closely monitored Hezbollah’s maritime capabilities over the past decade. Most of its focus has been on the Russian supersonic Yakhont missile, described as a “nightmare for Western fleets.”

As per assessments, the missile was sold from Russia to Syria and then transferred to Hezbollah.

The report added that Hezbollah has developed a covert naval unit with Iranian support. This unit possesses advanced capabilities, including coastal raids and attacks on ships. It has acquired missiles and advanced radar systems, some similar to those owned by the Houthis in Yemen.

Sources familiar with Hezbollah’s military arsenal indicate that since the 2006 war, Hezbollah has acquired the Russian-made Yakhont supersonic anti-ship missile, which has a range of up to 300 kilometers, according to a Reuters report.

The Israeli occupation army believes that Iran smuggled a wide array of missiles to Hezbollah before and during the ongoing conflict.

The Jerusalem Post quoted an Israeli field expert who said that the Houthis used a maritime ballistic missile that surprised many Western intelligence agencies. This missile has electro-optical capabilities to identify its target.

The field expert described the maritime ballistic missile as a “dangerous player.” It descends from a high altitude and strikes the ship at a sharp angle. Although the naval Iron Dome can deal with it, it remains a new and difficult threat on the battlefield.

The expert further mentioned that Israel knew the Chinese had similar missiles, but the Iranians developed them and transferred them to the Houthis, who used them against several ships.

There are documents showing that one of these missiles struck a vessel at a 40-degree angle, posing a challenge to defenses. The steeper the missile’s descent, the harder it becomes to intercept.

U.S. Concerns Over Hezbollah’s Arsenal

Reports have quoted current U.S. officials and a former official stating that Hezbollah has built an impressive array of weapons, including anti-ship missiles.

One of the officials said, “It is clear that we are paying close attention to this… and we take their capabilities seriously,” without commenting directly on whether the group possesses the Yakhont anti-ship missile.

What We Know About the Yakhont Anti-Ship Missile

Origin: Russia

According to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) in Washington, the Yakhont missile, which is launched from the ground, approaches its target at a low altitude—between 10 to 15 meters off the ground—to avoid detection.

The Yakhont is a variant of the P-800 Oniks missile, initially developed in 1993, and was later developed for export in 1999 by a Russian defense company.

• • Launch Platforms: Air, ground, or submarines

• • Diameter: 0.67 meters

• • Warhead Payload: Single warhead

• • Range: 300 kilometers on its default trajectory and 120 kilometers on a low-altitude path

• • Countries Possessing It: Russia, Vietnam, Syria, Indonesia

• • Capabilities: The missile can reach altitudes of up to 14 kilometers and speeds of up to 750 meters per second (Mach 2.2)

• • Length of Anti-Ship Version: 8.3 meters

What We Know About the C-802 Anti-Ship Missile

Origin: China

The C-802 anti-ship missile, of Chinese origin, dates back to the 1990s. It is a further development of the YJ-8 missile, utilizing a French turbojet engine to extend its range.

• • Exports: The C-802 has been exported to various countries with close ties to China, though it has not been adopted by the Chinese military.

• • Iranian Development: Iran developed another variant of the C-802 called Noor, and later improved versions of it.

• • Propulsion: The missile’s solid-fuel engine was replaced with a French Microturbo TRI 60 jet engine.

• • Warhead: High-explosive warhead weighing 165 kg.

• • Range: Approximately 120 kilometers, flying at subsonic speeds at an altitude of 5 to 7 meters above sea level when approaching its target.

• • Guidance: The C-802 utilizes active radar-guided warheads and inertial navigation to reach the target area.