Iran today attacked Israel with missiles and rockets as tensions rose in the Middle East following artillery and air strikes on Lebanon targeting the Shia militant group and Iran’s strong ally Hezbollah.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said today’s attack was in response to last week’s killing of Hezbollah chief Hassan Nasrallah, as well as the killing of a Hamas leader.
Israel’s formidable air defense systems were in action to intercept rockets and missiles launched from Iran. The video shows that after the air strike, the night sky across the country is lit up with explosions. The missiles were detected in Jordanian airspace, on the flight path of which the missiles were fired toward Israel. After the attack on Israel, Jordan has announced suspension of air traffic.
Missiles were raining down on Israel and the Iron Dome and Arrow air defense systems were in action to intercept and neutralize the targets. Israeli media reported that Iran fired more than 100 missiles and several videos showed debris from the intercepted missiles falling on Israeli cities.
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Meanwhile, President Joe Biden has ordered the US military to “assist in the defense of Israel” and shoot down Iranian missiles targeting Israel. Both Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris are monitoring Iran’s attack on Israel from the White House Situation Room, a statement said.
This is the second Iranian attack on Israel in less than six months. In April, Iran launched a swarm of explosive drones and missiles at Israel. The Iranian attack involved more than 200 drones and missiles. Iran has vowed to avenge the Israeli attack on its Damascus consulate on April 1, which killed seven Guard officers, including two senior commanders.
Israel’s multi-layered air defense system
The Arrow Defense System is a surface-to-surface missile system that forms the upper tier in Israel’s multi-layered air defense system.
Iron Dome has shot down thousands of rockets since 2011 but these are limited to short ranges. Israel also has a medium to long range interceptor known as the David Sling.
Iron Dome, David’s Sling and Arrow Defense System form a layered defense system. The Iron Dome system, which has been battle tested in the past, was actively deployed to intercept drones and short-range threats.
The Arrow 2’s radar – which is used against long-range ballistic missiles – has an effective range of 2,400 kilometers and can strike at an altitude of 100 kilometers.
The radar continuously detects threats approaching the area. Once a target is detected, real-time information is sent to the control center about the target’s estimated trajectory, its speed, and if the missile is heading toward a strategic target such as cities or military installations. , then the missile is launched.
The Arrow 3 air defense system neutralizes targets in the external environment before the ballistic missile enters the re-entry stage. In April, when Iran launched an unprecedented attack on Israel with ballistic and cruise missiles, the Arrow 3 system intercepted the missiles before they reached the atmospheric re-entry stage.
The United States has funded approximately half of the annual development costs of the Arrow 2 system. As of 2020, the total US financial contribution for the Arrow Weapon System exceeded $3.7 billion.
