IDF accuses Hezbollah of storing dangerous chemicals and weapons in residential neighborhood

Hezbollah has placed infrastructure for the production of weapons in the heart of civilian populations in Lebanon, the IDF announced Wednesday. The announcement was accompanied by a video showing attacks on the production infrastructure sites in the Beqaa Valley and Beirut, in central Lebanon. 

"Since the beginning of the fighting, the IDF has been acting against Hezbollah's buildup, harming the organization's ability to transfer weapons and attacking weapons production infrastructure.” 

“The Hezbollah terrorist organization places its production infrastructure in the heart of civilian populations in southern Lebanon, the Bekaa Valley and Beirut, and uses the Lebanese people as human shields,” the IDF said.

“As can be seen in the documentation, the magnitude of the attacks, the large number of secondary explosions, and the duration of the fire on the property are further proof of Hezbollah's modus operandi, in which it stores explosives and hazardous chemicals in civilian villages." 

“The Hezbollah terrorist organization uses the Lebanese people as human shields,” the IDF emphasized.  

The footage showed an airstrike from Tuesday night, when Israeli Air Force fighter jets struck Hezbollah military buildings near Aita al-Shaab, Mis al-Jabal and Al-Adisa. The strike was in response to launches from Lebanon into the Manara area, which resulted in the injuries of two soldiers

Besides dangerous chemicals exposed during the explosion, some analysts claim that Hezbollah has chemical weapons. 

Tal Be’eri, the head of the Alma Center Research Department, wrote: “According to reports, Syria possesses various types of chemical weapons, and the potential for transferring them to Hezbollah exists.” 

In the 2022 study, Be’eri also wrote: “In our assessment, if Hezbollah uses such a substance, the use will be limited and will be done with shells or rockets. As far as the terrorist organization is concerned, such use would be considered a last resort to achieve a 'victory picture of consciousness' and create panic.” 

Be’eri did not clarify which type of chemical weapons from Syria that Hezbollah could have access to, however, he opined that such a use would likely be targeted against Israeli military forces operating within Lebanon, not in the territory of Israel. 

The Al-Alam al-Arabi News Agency reported, based on eyewitness testimony, that Hezbollah had deployed masked and armed forces in a “large and unprecedented” manner in the Dahiya suburb, the terrorist group's stronghold in the capital city of Beirut. The witness noted that "the reason for this is unclear," but Hezbollah's operatives were checking passersby on the main streets in the suburb. 

Dahiya is the same suburb where Hamas senior official Saleh al-Arouri was residing at the time of his death due to an Israeli strike.