In a video posted on X titled “The security system urgently needs a new weapon,” the Yisrael Beiteinu chairman and former defense minister called for establishing a missile corps within the Israeli army. Lieberman said the force should include “no fewer than 20,000 ballistic and cruise missiles, 30,000 aerial and naval drones, and 40,000 long-range rockets.” He acknowledged the project would require immense economic and technical effort but insisted Israel has no alternative.

Lieberman argued the proposed corps is a defensive necessity, claiming it would help counter Hezbollah and protect northern communities, enabling reconstruction and shielding them from future rocket attacks. His call comes amid ongoing tensions on the Lebanese front despite a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding mandating an end to Israeli aggression in Lebanon. Israeli forces continue to occupy areas in southern Lebanon, with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently vowing to maintain a “security buffer zone.” On Thursday, the Israeli army published a map showing control over a 10-kilometer strip inside Lebanon, despite the agreement’s demand for a permanent halt to military operations.

Israel’s expanded offensive in Lebanon has left 3,884 dead, 11,856 wounded, and displaced more than one million people, according to Lebanon’s Ministry of Health.