Tel Aviv, Israel

The Lebanon-based militant group Hezbollah has been using an advanced missile amid its ongoing war with Israel, which was reverse-engineered from an Israeli weapon it captured in a past war, the New York Times reported citing Israeli defence officials. 

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Reportedly, Hezbollah militants have seized the original Israeli Spike anti-tank missiles during the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war in Lebanon and transported them to Iran for cloning, Israeli and Western defence officials and weapons experts have reportedly said. 

Now, 18 years later, Hezbollah is using the rebranded Almas missiles at Israeli military bases, communication systems, and air-defence launchers. 

According to reports, their attempt to fire these missiles was to make it challenging for the Israeli military forces. These missiles have a range of up to 10 miles and they carry advanced guidance seekers to track and lock onto targets.

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Also read: ‘Firepower dramatically reduced,’ IDF eliminates Hezbollah’s anti-tank missile commanders

Iran and its allies forces have cloned weapons systems to use against the very adversaries who created them. 

Notably, Iran has reportedly copied American drones and missiles. 

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Mohammed Al-Basha, a Middle East weapons analyst said that the Almas missile is an example of an increasing use of Iranian-engineered weapons that is "fundamentally altering regional power dynamics". 

“What was once a gradual spread of older missile generations has transformed into rapid deployment of cutting-edge technology across active battlefields,” Al-Basha, an analyst who also runs a risk advisory firm based in the US state of Virginia, said last week.

The Israeli defence officials on a condition of anonymity, said that Almas missiles are among Hezbollah weapons stockpiles that the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) have captured since the start of their invasion of Lebanon around two months ago.

Watch | Israel-Hezbollah War: Hezbollah Fires Guided Missiles At IDF Troops

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What are Almas missiles?

The Almas means diamond in Arabic and Persian. It is a guided missile that does not need a direct eye-line sight to launch from land vehicles, drones, helicopters, and shoulder-fired tubes. 

Moreover, these missiles are so-called top-attack missiles, which means their ballistic trajectory can strike from directly above their targets instead of from the side and hit tanks where they are lightly armoured and vulnerable. 

Disclaimer: WION takes the utmost care to accurately and responsibly report conflicts in West Asia involving Israel, Iran, Syria, Iraq, and non-state actors like the Islamic State, among others. In this context, claims and counterclaims are being made online and offline. WION cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, social media posts, photos, and videos.

(With inputs from agencies)