Israel's multi-layered air-defense system was put to the test on Friday night when Iran launched ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which reportedly landed in the city of Tel Aviv.
Israel's military said it had intercepted most of the missiles, but some caused "a few impacts on buildings." An Associated Press reporter saw smoke rising in Tel Aviv after an apparent missile strike. A hospital in the Tel Aviv area said it was treating 15 injured civilians.
The attack was a stiff challenge for Israel's air-defense system, which has intercepted projectiles fired from Gaza, Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Iran since the start of the war on October 7, 2023. These have ranged from short-range rockets to medium-range missiles to attack drones to ballistic missiles like those fired Friday night.
U.S. ground-based air defense systems in the region were helping to shoot down Iranian missiles, said a U.S. official who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the measures.
But the vast majority of Israel's air defense over the past year has been carried out by Israel itself. Over the decades, Israel has developed a sophisticated system capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population center or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn't 100% guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties.
Here’s a closer look at Israel’s multilayered air-defense system:
The Arrow
This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles, including the types of ballistic missiles Iran launched on Tuesday. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has also been used in the current war to intercept long-range missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen.
Video below: The Middle East braces amid the situation with Israel and Iran
David's Sling
Also developed with the U.S., David’s Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has been deployed on multiple occasions throughout the war.
Iron Dome
This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade – including thousands of interceptions during the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%.
Iron Beam
Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats using laser technology. Israel has stated that this system will be a game changer due to its significantly lower operating costs compared to existing systems. According to Israeli media reports, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is approximately $50,000, whereas other systems can cost over $2 million per missile. In contrast, Iron Beam interceptions are expected to cost just a few dollars each, according to Israeli officials. However, the system is not yet operational.
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This story was originally published on Oct. 2, 2024. It was updated Friday.
READ MORE: Iranian missiles penetrated Israel's air defenses Friday. How ironclad is the system?
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