Armed group profile · SD Strength Index
Hezbollah: military strength 2026
How strong is Hezbollah in 2026?
Much weaker than at the start of the year, and still dangerous. Hezbollah fights in named units, among them the Radwan, Nasr, Aziz and Badr formations, under central political command by Naim Qassem. Few armed groups anywhere have its training or its combat record against a first rank army.
On the Silent Dossier index it sits behind the Houthis, M23 and Russia's Africa Corps, and ahead of Sudan's Rapid Support Forces and Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces. Two wars with Israel since 2024 have cut down much of its military leadership and emptied much of its arsenal.
How many fighters does Hezbollah have?
Silent Dossier estimates 40,000 to 90,000 in all. Of those, 25,000 to 40,000 are full time regulars, a high professional share for a militia. The other 20,000 to 50,000 are reservists and recruits called up as needed, and recruitment was reported to be difficult after the 2024 war. On the eve of the 2026 war Israeli estimates gave 40,000 to 50,000 active fighters plus 30,000 to 50,000 reserves, while a Lebanese source put the total near 95,000.
The losses are disputed. Israel claims about 2,500 Hezbollah fighters killed and 10,000 wounded in 2026; independent counts put the dead above 1,000. The Radwan force numbered about 5,000 before the war, and Israel says it has since killed its commander and several battalion commanders.
How many rockets does Hezbollah have left?
Israeli estimates range from 8,000 to 15,000 after the 2026 war, against about 25,000 in January and 120,000 to 150,000 before October 2023. No independent count exists. Most of what remains are Katyusha and Grad type rockets, with Fajr-3 and Fajr-5 rockets reaching 40 to 75 km and heavy Burkan and Falaq rockets for border targets.
The guided Fateh-110 and M-600 missiles, with a range of 250 to 300 km, once numbered up to a few hundred. Israeli analysts now assess their use as minimal. In 2026 Hezbollah fire reached central Israel, about 130 to 150 km away. Drones made up 29 per cent of its 1,121 attack waves by 6 April, and rearmament now centres on explosive drones, including FPV types, though skilled operators are short. Its units were reported to be rationing Kornet and Konkurs guided missiles. Hezbollah has no aircraft and no tanks in Lebanon. It fights as light infantry.
What happened to Hezbollah in the 2026 war?
It opened fire on Israel on 2 March, two days after US and Israeli strikes on Iran began. Israel answered with air and ground operations. Hezbollah lost Bint Jbeil and the Ali al-Taher ridge, and Lebanese sources say its command broke down in both battles, which the group denies. It confirmed the death of its Southern Front commander on 31 March.
Hezbollah halted attacks on 8 April, and a truce brokered by the US has held loosely since 16 April. Israeli forces still crossed the Litani at the end of May and took Beaufort Castle. Israel claims its troops have destroyed 1,200 tunnels, a figure no one else has confirmed.
Who backs Hezbollah and can it rearm?
Iran, through the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, pays most of its bills and has sent tens of millions of dollars for rearmament since June. Getting weapons in is harder. Hezbollah lost its land corridor through Syria when Assad fell in December 2024, and in July Syria said it had stopped an arms shipment routed through Iraq. Lebanese authorities have seized explosives that Hezbollah acknowledged as its own.
A US, Lebanese and Israeli plan in June set out phased disarmament, which Qassem called null and void. The Lebanese army is deploying where Israel has handed ground back, and on 27 October Lebanon's foreign minister warned of a possible third war.
Key figures
| Fighters | 40k–90k | C |
| Full-time trained core | 25k–40k | C |
| Reservists and irregulars | 20k–50k | C |
| Rockets and missiles | 8,000–15k | C |
| Ballistic missiles | ~300 | C |
| Longest strike range (km) | 250–300 | C |
| Drones | ~1,000 | C |
| Aircraft | 0 | B |
A confirmed B strong estimate C estimated range
Main weapons
| 107mm / 122mm Katyusha and Grad-type rockets | — | B |
| Fajr-3 / Fajr-5 (240mm / 333mm) | — | C |
| Burkan / Falaq-1 / Falaq-2 heavy rockets | — | B |
| Fadi-series and Khaibar-1 (Zelzal-type) rockets | — | C |
| Fateh-110 / M-600 (and Qader-1 as named by the group) | ~300 | C |
| Yakhont (P-800) / C-802 (Noor) anti-ship missiles | — | C |
| Kornet, Konkurs and Almas ATGMs | — | B |
| Mersad/Ababil-family, Shahed-101 and FPV attack drones | ~1,000 | C |
| '358' loitering SAM and MANPADS (SA-7/SA-14/Misagh-type) | — | C |
Assessment
| Firepower | 3/5 | |
| Cohesion and command | 3/5 | |
| Outside support | 3/5 | |
| Combat experience | 5/5 | |
| Professionalism | 4/5 |
Backers. Iran
Ground. It operates in southern Lebanon, the Beqaa and Beirut's southern suburbs. Israel occupies a strip of the south, beyond the Litani in places, and the Lebanese army is deploying where Israel has pulled back. It lost its Syrian role and land link when Assad fell in December 2024.
Professional or irregular. It is still the most structured army outside state control in the region, with named units such as the Radwan Force, formal training and central command under Naim Qassem. Israel has killed much of its military leadership since 2024, and it now relies more on small cells than on large formations. An estimated 25,000 to 40,000 regulars remain.
What changed in 2026
Questions readers ask
How many fighters does Hezbollah have?
Silent Dossier estimates 40,000 to 90,000, of whom 25,000 to 40,000 are full time regulars. The rest are reservists and recruits called up when needed.
How many rockets does Hezbollah have?
Israeli estimates after the 2026 war range from 8,000 to 15,000, down from about 25,000 at the start of the year and up to 150,000 before October 2023. No independent count exists.
Is Hezbollah stronger than the Houthis?
No. Hezbollah has more trained full time fighters, but its missiles reach 250 to 300 km at most and precision fire is now marginal. The Houthis have hit Israel from about 2,000 km and were still striking Saudi Arabia in October 2026.
Who funds Hezbollah?
Iran, through the Revolutionary Guards' Quds Force, provides most of its money and weapons. Its Lebanese business and social networks are under pressure from US sanctions.
Does Hezbollah have tanks?
Not in Lebanon. It showed T-55 and T-72 tanks in Syria in 2016, but those are not known to be in service at home, and its vehicles on the Syrian front were lost when Assad fell.
Is Hezbollah disarming?
Not by its own choice. A June 2026 plan set out phased disarmament, but Naim Qassem rejected it, and the group is rearming with Iranian money focused on explosives and drones.