Iran’s Secret Drone Factory Trains Hezbollah Fighters

Iran is secretly training Hezbollah fighters to carry out drone attacks on northern Israel at a rapidly expanding top-secret base near the holy city of Qom, according to leaked classified documents from the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The drone facility has tripled in size since its establishment in 2006, despite US sanctions, reports The Telegraph.

Expansion and Development

The Gangine centre, located just 5 miles from Qom, has undergone significant expansion under the orders of Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Khamenei. The runway has extended from 1,640 feet in 2007 to 4,921 feet today, allowing for the operation of larger, long-range drones such as those used in Iran’s recent aerial assault on Israel. A new hangar was also added to the complex in 2021.

Training and Testing

Intelligence compiled by the People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MEK) reveals that the Gangine centre hosts leaders of regional terror groups, most notably Lebanese Hezbollah. In addition to training and testing long-range drones like the Mohajer, which can fly up to 1,000 miles over 24 hours, the centre also serves as a drone pilot training facility. Militants are trained in small groups of a handful of fighters.

Recent Conflicts

Since the outbreak of the Gaza war on October 7, when Hamas militants invaded Israel, Iran’s proxy Hezbollah in Lebanon has launched a second offensive on the Jewish state. More than 3,100 projectiles have been launched into Israeli territory, resulting in the displacement of over 100,000 Israelis.

International Concerns

Hossein Abedini, deputy director of the National Council of Resistance of Iran’s UK office, states that the recent developments prove that Iran is the “head of the snake” in terms of belligerence and the export of terror in the Middle East. Douglas Barrie, a senior fellow for military aerospace with the International Institute for Strategic Studies, notes that supplying drones to Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Houthis in Yemen allows Iran to test the design, functionality, and accuracy of their missiles in real-life scenarios.

The revelation of Iran’s secret drone factory and its role in training Hezbollah fighters highlights the country’s ongoing efforts to destabilize the region and threaten its rivals, particularly Israel. As international concerns grow, calls for placing the IRGC on the terrorist list and taking action against Iran’s malign activities are increasing.