«Israel» Mulls Acquisition of Hundreds of Missiles for Possible Lebanon Conflict

Local Editor

After being defeated in the 2006 Lebanon War, the "Israeli" army is making sure that history does not repeat itself in any new conflict with Hizbullah.

In a bid to gain the ability to destroy targets during a confrontation with forces inside Lebanon, the "Israeli" entity's military officials are looking forward into acquiring hundreds of missiles and precision rockets.

The focus of their interest is a pair of developments - IMI Systems' Extra rocket and "Israel" Aerospace Industries' LORA surface-to-surface missile.

According to Haaretz, the Artillery Corps currently uses the "Romach" artillery rocket system, which uses a GPS-based guidance system to hit targets up to 35 kilometers away with an accuracy of less than 10 meters and has a 20-kilogram warhead.

The "Israeli" entity's army plans to use these rockets when the air force's operations are limited or when the air force is on other missions, as it gives a great deal of interest to Hizbullah which also operates a system of rockets and advanced surface-to-surface missiles.

What frightens the entity is not Hizbullah's use of rockets; this is nothing new! But the extent of development and equipping in recent years which had expanded greatly, is what puts "Israel" on high alert.

Accordingly, the group's ability of developing missiles had troubled "Israeli" military officials.

An officer in the "Israel" Occupation Forces [IOF] General Staff recently described Hizbullah's ability to develop and acquire rockets and highly accurate missiles as "the most worrisome and bothersome to ‘Israel' by the enemy." He further stressed, "It is the most significant threat."

In the meantime, Hizbullah possesses some 100,000 short-range Grad and Katyusha rockets, which have a range of 45 kilometers.

The group also possesses Fajr rockets with a 75-kilometer range; Iranian Zilzal rockets, which have a 200-kilometer range; Fateh and M-600 ballistic missiles with a 250-kilometer range, and Syrian Scud-Ds, which have a 700-kilometer range.

The "Israeli" entity's goal is to include a rocket battalion in every maneuvering division of the army. The entity had delivered hundreds of similar rockets to armies around the world.

Acquisition of the new ballistics would expand the entity's options for a ground-based attack. The Extra's range is 150 kilometers with accuracy comparable to the "Romach", according to IMI Systems [formerly "Israel" Military Industries], carrying a warhead of 120 kilos.

The mobile rockets can be fired from the border. Some 600 of these rockets had been sold abroad for around $300,000 apiece.

IMI Systems is also developing a long-range rocket, called the Predator Hawk. "This rocket has a range of up to 300 kilometers and can carry a 200-kilo warhead," said an industry analyst.

Some "Israel"- Air Force officials opposed the long-range system regarding the operation of surface-to-surface missiles. They argued that the air force should carry out such missions under its responsibility.

An "Israeli" military official said that the Air force officials are now looking at the economic repercussions of equipping the entity's military with hundreds of such rockets and missiles.

"'Israel' sells this all over the world, just not here," said the official. "I think there is agreement that we will need to equip ourselves with this. The question is only the amount. There is no doubt we need some LORAs and some Extras."

Source: Haaretz, Edited by website team