Hezbollah Using Surveillance Radars Illicitly Provided by the U.S., Sources Say

Lebanon is facing a grave security concern as Western sources this week revealed that terror group Hezbollah has allegedly accessed the country's surveillance radars without the Lebanese army's knowledge. Reports also suggest that the terrorist group is actively recruiting Lebanese soldiers to help infiltrate security systems.

Western sources familiar with the situation have disclosed to Al-Hadath that Hezbollah has managed to infiltrate the intelligence equipment of the Lebanese state. According to these officials, some of the equipment the terrorist entity gained access to was provided illicitly by Western countries, including the U.S.

This breach raises significant concerns and underscores the vulnerability of Lebanon's security assets.

“The Hezbollah influence on the Lebanese army is multilayered and complex, allowing the terror group to obtain information on all the weapons, plans, and logistics they wish from all levels of command inside the Lebanese army at this point,” Middle East expert Dr. Walid Phares explained to The Foreign Desk.

“While the two forces are separate and formally distinct, they coordinate on many levels: Against Israel, and against al Qaeda, but cannot clash against each other as long as the government is pro Hezbollah. But, if Hezbollah makes a request on information or assistance from the Lebanese Armed Forces command, in most cases, their requests are met," Phares said.

Insiders involved in the matter revealed that a Lebanese soldier, known as H.M. or Hamza Msheik, has allegedly played a crucial role in assisting Hezbollah's activities by granting them access to security radars across the country.

“There is a significant number of Hezbollah members embedded inside the Lebanese army, allowing them to acquire them any information they wish,” Phares said.

Hezbollah's primary objective appears to be weakening the Lebanese Army, which receives support and funding from the West to ensure it remains the sole entity responsible for possessing weapons in Lebanon.

Worryingly, Hezbollah's recruitment efforts extend beyond a single soldier. Reports indicate that they have successfully recruited a Lebanese Air Force officer with the initials Aa.A., showcasing a deliberate attempt to compromise Lebanon's security forces.

Western sources who spoke to Al-Hadath regarding this latest news said that extent of Hezbollah's infiltration is particularly concerning as it includes surveillance radars at critical locations such as the Beirut International Airport and the Lebanese Navy.

According to reports, the Lebanese Army, responsible for national security, remains unaware of these unauthorized intrusions, raising questions about the effectiveness of the country's security.

Western nations, particularly the U.S. and Europe, have long been supporters of the Lebanese Army, considering it a vital pillar of the Lebanese state.

Despite real criticisms suggesting Hezbollah's influence within the Armed Forces, substantial investments have been made to strengthen its capabilities.

“The LAF is penetrated deeply, meaning Hezbollah knows what the Lebanese army do with the US forces, most likely in detail,” Phares said of the most recent breach.

Recently, Germany invested over half a billion dollars in a program to train the Lebanese Navy. However, Western officials say the revelation of Hezbollah's infiltration highlights the urgent need to assess the effectiveness of these investments and prevent Western weapons and capabilities from falling into the hands of terrorists.

In response to these developments, a Western source emphasized the necessity of increasing monitoring methods and thoroughly scrutinizing all parties that install systems for the Lebanese Army. These officials say that such measures would help reduce the risk of sensitive equipment being exploited by Hezbollah or other unauthorized entities.

The U.S. State Department has officially stated that the Lebanese Army remains fully compliant with all monitoring and security requirements. However, national security experts say the recent revelations about Hezbollah's infiltration expose significant vulnerabilities, underscoring the need for heightened vigilance and comprehensive actions to safeguard national security and protect Western assistance.

For the past decade, Hezbollah has grown its presence in Lebanon, receiving military training, equipment, and funding from the Islamic Republic of Iran to attack the Jewish state of Israel and American forces and Arab allies in the Middle East. In response to Hezbollah's growth, the Israeli government has acted swiftly against the terrorist group.

On Wednesday, the Israeli government announced the seizure of millions of dollars in cryptocurrency from accounts that had sent or received funds in alleged financing schemes for the Islamic Republic's Revolutionary Guards Corps Quds-Force and Hezbollah.