Iron Dome Strikes Back: Israel and its Many Air Defense Systems

Israel’s Iron Dome is an important part of its defense system, designed to protect the country from short-range rockets and artillery shells.

Developed in partnership with the United States, Iron Dome has been in use since the early 2010s and has intercepted thousands of rockets, including during the current conflicts with Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel claims a success rate of over 90%.

The Iron Dome system works by using radar to detect incoming rockets and then calculating their trajectory and speed. If it is determined that a rocket is on a collision course with a populated area, the system launches interceptor missiles to destroy the incoming threat from the air.

In addition to Iron Dome, Israel also has multi-layered defense systems, including the Arrow system, the David Sling system and the Patriot system, which are used to intercept long-range, medium-range and short-range missiles respectively. These systems were developed in partnership with the United States and have proven effective in intercepting incoming threats.