Hezbollah leader boasts of drones, precision-guided missile technology

Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, the leader of the Iran-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah, said on Wednesday that his organization has the ability to convert rockets into precision missiles and produce drones.

“We have the capabilities to transfer missiles that we possess in the thousands into precision-guided missiles,” Nasrallah said in a televised speech, according to The Associated Press. “We have been producing drones in Lebanon for a long time, and whoever wants to buy them, submit an order.”

According to Nasrallah, the organization was able to do this with the cooperation of “experts from the Islamic Republic of Iran.”

The AP noted that Hezbollah has sent drones over Israel in the past. Some of these drones have been shot down by Israel, including one in January. Israel has not yet responded to Nasrallah’s remarks.

According to Nasrallah, these capabilities were spurred by Israel’s own increasing use of drones.

Haaretz reported the announcement from Nasrallah comes about a week after Israel accused three Lebanese companies of supplying materials for Hezbollah’s precision-guidance missile project.

During his speech, Nasrallah also claimed that Israel was declining and would soon be eliminated.

“High-ranking Israeli commanders and analysts confirm that ‘Israel’ is on a slippery slope and that its elimination is a matter of time,” he said.

On Wednesday, a U.S. congressional delegation landed in Israel. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) gave a speech at the Knesset in which she reiterated the U.S.’s support for Israel’s security.

“We’re together in the fight against terrorism posed by Iran, both in the region and also its nuclear development,” she said.