Hamas documents reveal long-term plan to open a northern front against Israel

Captured Hamas documents seized by the IDF in Gaza reveal that the organization spent over a decade building military infrastructure in Lebanon in close coordination with Hezbollah and Iran, aiming to open a second front against Israel. The findings are detailed in a study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center. According to the documents, senior Hamas officials met as early as 2012 with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah and representatives of Iran's Quds Force to formulate plans for combat units, a rocket-launching network, and preparations for cross-border infiltrations. By 2021, the infrastructure was operational, and during the conflict that year, Hamas launched rockets from Lebanon with Hezbollah's approval. Following that operation, Yahya Sinwar reportedly pushed to expand the project, with 2022 documents describing plans for a 2,000-man force to operate alongside Hezbollah's elite Radwan Force. The study also traces the roots of Hamas's presence in Lebanon to the early 1990s, following the deportation of operatives to Marj al-Zohour. The report concludes that disarming Hamas in Lebanon would have strategic significance, potentially weakening the group's military platform and its influence within Palestinian refugee camps.