Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Monday it had purchased a vast network of surface-to-surface precision missiles, for an undisclosed sum, and is reportedly seeking longer-range arms that can target the whole region.
The ministry said only that the deal is worth “hundreds of millions of shekels.”
“We are acquiring and developing precision fire systems that will enable the army within a few years to cover any point in the region,” said Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman.
"The project for setting up a precision rocket and missile system is underway," he said in the statement.
"Part of it is already in production and part is in the final phases of research and development,” he added.
Lieberman made the announcement in a revised tweet after a previous one said the missile system is capable of hitting targets anywhere in the Middle East.
He edited his tweet after the Maariv daily’s military analyst Yossi Melman questioned whether the missiles would reach the entire region, saying that was not true.
The Defense Ministry said Israel Military Industries will supply the army with rockets that can hit targets between 30 kilometers and 150 kilometers away.
“This precision firepower significantly improves the army’s capabilities and enables precise impact on remote launch, immediate availability and low mission cost compared to other combat systems,” it said in a statement.
Among the missiles purchased were multiple launch rocket systems, or MLRS, which will be able to reach targets 40 kilometers away. These rockets have warheads that contain 20 kilograms of explosives and are guided by GPS. The system can fire 18 rockets per minute.
Military analyst for the Yedioth Ahronoth daily Ron Ben-Yishai said that Lieberman is not planning a separate missile corps.
He is rather seeking to arm the military with additional rockets and missiles to serve as backup for the air force's offensive capabilities in case Israel comes under attack on many fronts at the same time.
