Iran missile attack: Israel's missile defences were activated on Tuesday to repel a salvo of Iranian ballistic missiles in retaliation for Israel's campaign against Tehran's Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Iran used hypersonic Fattah missiles for the first time, and 90 per cent of its missiles successfully hit their targets in Israel, the Revolutionary Guards said.
No injuries were reported in Israel, but one man was killed in the occupied West Bank, authorities there said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Iran's missile attack on Israel failed and vowed retaliation, at the start of a security meeting in Tel Aviv on Tuesday night.
Israel’s military said it identified 180 missiles launched from Iran shortly after 7:30 pm (local time). Sirens blared across the country, and Israelis were ordered to stay in protected areas. "Iran made a big mistake tonight - and it will pay for it," Netanyahu said. "The regime in Iran does not understand our determination to defend ourselves and our determination to retaliate against our enemies."
Most Iranian missiles intercepted
An Israeli security official said that in cooperation with the United States, the Israeli Air Force intercepted many of the missiles, though there were some direct hits damaging buildings and igniting some fires. On Wednesday, the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) acknowledged that some of its airbases were hit in the barrage, and some office buildings and maintenance areas were damaged.
The military reports no damage caused to fighter jets, drones, other aircraft, munitions and critical infrastructure, according to The Times of Israel. Highlighting the ineffectiveness of the Iranian attack, the military notes that the IAF continued its operations in the following hours, including major strikes against Hezbollah in Beirut, support for ground forces in southern Lebanon and strikes in Gaza.
US President Joe Biden said the Iranian missile attack on Israel appears to have been defeated and ineffective. Speaking to reporters at the White House, Biden said, "At my direction, the United States military actively supported the defence of Israel. We are still assessing the impact but, based on what we know, the attack appears to have been defeated and ineffective and this is a testament to Israeli military capability… (It is) also a testament to intensive planning (between) the United States and Israel to anticipate and defend against a brazen attack."
A look at Israel's defence systems
Most of the missiles were intercepted on Tuesday thanks to Israel's state-of-the-art aerial defence system, including the Iron Dome, which has been described as one of the most sophisticated air defence systems on the planet. It was specifically designed to fend off short-range rocket and missile attacks from neighbouring militant groups, particularly Hamas and Hezbollah.
A key part of Iron Dome is its control system’s ability to discern what incoming targets pose a threat. If an adversary’s rocket will land harmlessly - in an unpopulated area or in the sea, for instance - it will not be intercepted. The system uses radars to detect incoming threats, such as rockets, missiles, mortars and drones. It then fires its own intercepter missiles to take them out.
However, targeting guided ballistic missiles that travel at higher altitudes, longer ranges, and faster speeds requires different intercept systems that are specifically designed to bring down ballistic missiles. So Israel does not rely on only the Iron Dome, as it is not 100 per cent effective against enemy rockets.
David's Sling
Israel has two other home-grown aerial defence systems apart from Iron Dome: David's Sling and Arrow 2 and 3. The mid-range David's Sling system is designed to shoot down ballistic missiles fired from 100 km to 200 km away. It has been developed and jointly manufactured by Israel's Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and the US RTX Corp, formerly known as Raytheon.
David's Sling is also designed to intercept aircraft, drones and cruise missiles. It destroys incoming ballistic missiles with the sheer force of impact, making it what is known as a “hit- to- kill” which has been characterised as hitting a bullet with a bullet given the high velocities involved.
Arrow 2 and 3
The long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 interceptors, developed by Israel with an Iranian missile threat in mind, are designed to engage threats both in and outside the atmosphere, respectively. It operates at an altitude that allows for the safe dispersal of any non-conventional warheads.
The Arrow 2 boasts a range of 56 miles and can reach altitudes of up to 32 miles, as noted by the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance. In contrast, the Arrow 3 employs hit-to-kill technology to intercept incoming ballistic missiles beyond the Earth's stratosphere, targeting them before they reenter the atmosphere and head toward their destinations.
The interceptors have been developed and manufactured by Israel Aerospace Industries and Boeing Co. Israel's military said it had used the Arrow aerial defence system for the first time on October 31 since the October 7 outbreak of the war with Hamas to intercept a surface-to-surface missile fired from the area of the Red Sea towards its territory.
Laser-based system
Israel's interception systems cost between tens of thousands and millions of dollars to shoot down incoming threats. Israel is developing a laser-based system to neutralise enemy rockets and drones at an estimated cost of just $2 per interception. In 2021, Israel and the US began developing the Arrow 4 to enhance the country's multi-layered defence system.
David's Sling and the Arrow 2 and 3, along with the Iron Dome, were utilised during Iran’s attack on Israel last April when 99 per cent of the more than 300 drones, ballistic and cruise missiles launched by Iran were intercepted. Iran launched the attack in retaliation for an airstrike on its embassy compound in Damascus on April 1 attributed to Israel.
(with inputs from agencies)
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