Hezbollah Reportedly Acquires Russian Anti-Ship Missiles Capable of Threatening US Warships in Middle East

Hezbollah obtains Yakhont missiles from Assad; capability to target American warships off Israeli coast causes escalating concern among U.S. defense officials.

• Hezbollah has reportedly acquired Russian anti-ship Yakhont missiles from Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad, with the ability to target US warships off the coast of Israel.
• The acquisition of such weaponry increases tensions in the Middle East due to a heightened potential of clashes between the Iran-backed Lebanese group and US forces stationed in the region.
• The Yakhont missile, capable of being deployed from the ground, sea or air, can hit targets located up to 186 miles away, posing a significant threat to US naval fleets.
• Despite no official admission from Hezbollah regarding the possession of the Yakhont, Hezbollah leader Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah has made veiled threats towards the U.S. about potentially targeting its warships in the region.
• The U.S., amidst ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, has stationed two aircraft carriers and multiple support vessels in the region in an attempt to prevent the escalation into a wider war involving Iran and Hezbollah.

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