Iron Dome: Israel’s Great Rocket Swarm ‘Shield’

For more than a decade, Israel has relied upon its intricate air defense system the Iron Dome to protect citizens from adversarial barrages.

Able to intercept and destroy incoming projectiles ranging from missiles, rockets, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), the Dome is considered one of the most viable air defense apparatuses in use.

Since the Jewish state is surrounded by hostile adversaries, the protection of the country’s airspace at all times is essential to its survival.

The Dome acts alongside the Iron Beam, David’s Sling, and the Arrow Interceptor, which makes up Israel’s multi-tiered aerial defense system.

Since the October 7, 2023, massacre, these vital defenses have proven to be paramount for Israel’s security and serve to bolster greater stability in the region altogether.

Iron Dome Deflection

Just this week, the Yemen-based Houthi rebels launched yet another ballistic missile barrage targeting the Jewish state. The Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) intercepted one of these missiles before it could cross into Israeli territory, triggering emergency sirens across central Israel. This incident marked the twelfth time the Houthis have fired ballistic missiles toward Israel since the beginning of November alone. At this rate, combined with attacks launched from Lebanon and Iran, the Jewish state is constantly under fire.

With a success rate of over 90 percent, the Iron Dome represents the life-saving measure deployed by the IDF to counter these frequent attacks. Initially produced in Israel, the Dome was designed by the state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems with U.S. backing in the early 2000s. The U.S. continued to provide funding for the defense system, which is designed to intercept and destroy short-range projectiles from a range of 2.5 to 90 miles.

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