Israel plans vast offensive missile project against Hezbollah: Report

Israel’s Yedioth Ahronoth paper said on Friday that the Israeli minister of military affairs, Avigdor Liberman, had assigned around 500 million shekels (145 million dollars) to setting up “a vast network of medium-range surface-to-surface missile systems” and “a dedicated corps” to run it in an attempt “to counter Hezbollah.”

According to Yedioth Ahronoth, Liberman made the decision after a meeting with Israeli military officials on January 4.

The “initial aspects” of the project are reportedly to be completed by 2020.

Israeli media claim that Hezbollah is in possession of an “arsenal of more than 100,000 short- and medium-range rockets.”

Israel waged two all-out wars against Lebanon — in 2000 and 2006 — but fell short of its military objectives in both cases in the face of strong resistance by Hezbollah and the Lebanese army.

On Wednesday, Liberman threatened the Lebanese state with another military invasion.

“Lebanon’s army and Hezbollah are the same — they will all pay the full price in the event of an escalation,” Liberman said. “If a conflict does break out in the north, ‘boots on the ground’ remains an option.”