The US-backed system of interconnected radar and mobile missile batteries is designed to shoot down rockets, missiles and mortar.
*EDITORS NOTE: Graphic content.* A picture taken from the Israeli city of Sderot shows rockets fired from the Gaza Strip intercepted by Israel’s Iron Dome defence missile system on Oct. 14, 2023, amid the ongoing battles between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas. Hamas launched a large-scale attack on Israel on Oct.
Hamas, which the US and European Union have designated a terrorist group, fired 3,000 rockets in the first 20 minutes of its surprise Oct. 7 attack, a major increase from previous operations, according to Patrick Sullivan, the director of the US Military Academy’s Modern War Institute. The group’s missiles were also more advanced than in previous incidents.
Even a small drop in the Iron Dome’s interception rate to around 80% would mean many more rockets would get through should Hamas or others start another round of intense attacks. With around 100,000 missiles and rockets estimated to be at Hezbollah’s disposal, such an overwhelming offensive and a decline in Iron Dome’s effectiveness are seen as plausible among officials in the Middle East and beyond.
Their use would add further to Israel’s defense costs at a time when military supplies are already stretched by a rapid mobilization of reservists. Each Iron Dome interceptor costs tens of thousands of dollars, according to Israel’s Institute for National Security Studies, known as INSS. Hamas’s rockets, while more advanced than they used to be, are cheaper to produce than Israel’s, making it easier for the group to replenish its stocks.
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Gaza aid should go to Israel Iron Dome instead, GOP senators say: ‘Wipe Hamas’ from EarthEleven Republican senators are introducing legislation Thursday that would redirect money meant for Gaza to replenish Israeli's U.S.-backed Iron Dome missile system.
Read more »
How Israel's Iron Beam Compares to Iron DomeThe Iron Dome is 'the most successful system of its type in the world,' military expert David Hambling told Newsweek.
Read more »
Donald Trump Promises Iron Dome for US, Mass DeportationsIn a new op-ed, Trump vowed to to 'begin the largest deportation operation in American history' if he were to win in 2024.
Read more »
Israel-Hamas war live updates: Israel and Hamas blame each other for Gaza hospital blastThis is additional taxonomy that helps us with analytics
Read more »
US announces new sanctions targeting 10 Hamas members amid Israel-Hamas conflictThe U.S. is allowing non-emergency personnel to leave the country Wednesday morning.
Read more »