It’s being reported today that the Wagner group in Russia is planning to provide an air defense system to Hezbollah for use in Lebanon against Israeli aircraft.
The exchange will likely happen in Syria, where the US says both Wanger and Hezbollah are station.
Here’s more via the NY Post:
Russia’s mercenary group is preparing to deliver an advanced air defense missile system to Hezbollah as the Lebanese militia group clashes with Israel, according to US intelligence.
American officials are currently monitoring discussions between the Wagner mercenary group and Lebanon’s Hamas-supporting militia over the possible delivery of the SA-22, a system that uses anti-aircraft missiles and guns to combat airstrikes, the Wall Street Journal reports.
The SA-22 system, also known as Pantsir-S1, is a truck-mounted surface-to-air missile and anti-aircraft artillery weapons system made in Russia.
The weapon has seen action in the Russian-Ukraine War and could be deployed in the Middle East as a defense for the Iran-backed militia group against Israel’s airstrikes.
Clashes between Israel and Hezbollah have increased along the Lebanese border as the war with Hamas rages in Gaza.
American officials say the SA-22 has yet to be delivered to Lebanon, but noted that some Hezbollah and Wagner personnel are currently stationed in Syria.
Russian officials have yet to comment on the alleged discussions between Wagner and Hezbollah.
The US has made its presence known in the area by stationing an aircraft carrier in the Eastern Mediterranean as a deterrent for Hezbollah to join Hamas in attacking Israel.
I was just watching the spokesman for the IDF discuss this on Fox News and he suggested that Hezbollah getting an anti-aircraft system would be something Israel could not accept and something they would have to deal with. You better believe Israel is monitoring this in Syria and will bomb the shipment if they can locate it.