In a move that reflects the escalation of threats on the Lebanese front, the Israeli army is preparing to introduce a new weapon into the field, in an attempt to confront the bombing drones that Hezbollah is increasingly adopting in border confrontations.
According to a report by journalist Itay Blumenthal in the “Israeli Broadcasting Authority,” the Israeli army is working to provide its forces operating in southern Lebanon with fragmentation ammunition purchased from the United States, in order to confront the explosive drones launched by Hezbollah towards the forces. This ammunition, which proved its effectiveness in the battles between Ukraine and Russia, is designed for use with M-16 and “Tavor” rifles, and is characterized by its ability to split into 5 iron balls, which increases the range of hits in the air.
The report indicates that a delegation from the Land Arm of the Israeli army conducted a series of experiments in the United States in recent days, before instructions were issued by the commander of the Land Arm to purchase hundreds of thousands of boxes of ammunition. The shipment is expected to arrive in Israel next week, at a time when the army seeks to provide every fighter on the front with a storehouse containing this fragmentation ammunition.
In a related context, the Israeli army announced on Sunday that the Ministerial Committee on Armaments had agreed to provide the Ministry of Defense with two additional warplanes, including a fourth squadron of “Adir” (F35) aircraft produced by “Lockheed Martin,” and a second squadron of F15IA aircraft produced by “Boeing.”
A statement issued by the Israeli army spokesman said, “The volume of the deals is estimated at tens of billions of shekels, and also includes the absorption of squadrons into the Air Force, in addition to comprehensive support, spare parts, and logistics.”
The statement added: “This step represents the first stage in implementing the force-building plan for the next decade, which was approved by the Prime Minister and the Minister of Defense with an allocated budget of 350 billion shekels,” noting that “the new squadrons will form a fundamental pillar in building the strength of the Israeli army during the coming decades in the face of growing regional threats, and will allow the maintenance of Israel’s strategic air superiority in the region.”
In light of these data, it seems that the introduction of these new munitions is not just a technical measure, but rather part of a broader path to reshape the rules of engagement, as the confrontation with the drones turns into a decisive element in the equation of the conflict on the Lebanese border.
