An onslaught of Iranian drones and ballistic missiles on Saturday presented the most recent test to Israel's air defense mechanism, which has been tirelessly engaged in countering rocket, drone, and missile assaults during the ongoing six-month conflict with Hamas.
Let's delve deeper into Israel's intricate air-defense setup:
The Arrow: Crafted in collaboration with the U.S., this system is tailored to intercept long-range missiles, including the ballistic missiles reportedly launched by Iran over the weekend. The Arrow, functioning beyond the earth's atmosphere, has been deployed in the current conflict to thwart long-range missiles fired by Houthi insurgents in Yemen.
David's Sling: Another joint effort with the U.S., David's Sling is engineered to intercept medium-range missiles, akin to those in the possession of Hezbollah in Lebanon.
Three key missile defense systems used by Israel:
- Patriot: The oldest member of Israel's missile-defense system, used during the First Gulf War in 1991 to intercept Scud missiles fired by Iraq's leader at the time, Saddam Hussein. It is now used to shoot down aircraft, including drones.
- Iron Dome: Developed by Israel with U.S. backing, this system specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since its activation early last decade, with a success rate of over 90%.
- Iron Beam: Israel is developing a new system to intercept threats using laser technology. This system is expected to be more cost-effective than existing systems, but it is not yet operational.
