In a notable attack over the weekend, Iran launched an unprecedented assault on Israel, unleashing hundreds of drones, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles. Despite the overwhelming onslaught, Israel, with support from the US and the UK, managed to intercept an impressive 99 per cent of the incoming projectiles, underscoring the effectiveness of its advanced, multi-layered missile defence system.
This significant assault, the most severe multi-front attack on Israel in many years, involved a total of 330 projectiles launched by Iran, including 30 cruise missiles, 120 ballistic missiles, and an unprecedented 170 drones. The attacks originated from Iran itself as well as from launch sites in Iraq, Yemen, and Lebanon.
Israeli officials reported tracking over 100 ballistic missiles in the air at one point during the attack. Despite the daunting numbers, Israel claims to have successfully intercepted nearly all of the Iranian projectiles, largely thanks to its renowned Iron Dome missile defence system. Iron Dome, deployed since 2011, has become a symbol of Israel's defence capabilities, having effectively protected the country from previous rocket attacks by Hamas, Islamic Jihad, and Hezbollah.
The Iron Dome serves as the initial line of defence, utilizing advanced radar to detect incoming threats and a sophisticated command-and-control system to evaluate the danger. When a threat is identified, interceptor missiles are launched to destroy the incoming projectile in mid-air.
In addition to the drone threat handled by Iron Dome, Israel also employed its Arrow Weapon System (AWS) to counter the ballistic missile threat. The latest version of the Arrow system, Arrow 3, demonstrated its effectiveness against a significant number of ballistic missiles launched by Iran.
Furthermore, Israel activated the David's Sling system, a mid-range defence system designed to intercept ballistic missiles launched from medium distances, typically between 100 and 200 km. Developed jointly by Israel and the US, David's Sling can also target aircraft, drones, and cruise missiles.
The United States played a crucial role in supporting Israel's defence efforts. US forces successfully destroyed over 80 drones and at least six ballistic missiles launched from Iran and Yemen. US Navy ships in the eastern Mediterranean, equipped with the Aegis missile defence system, also intercepted several ballistic missiles. This coordinated international response helped mitigate the impact of the attack, with only a few ballistic missiles managing to cause damage in Israel.
