What are Israel’s Iron Dome and Arrow missile defences? [Video]

TEL AVIV – Israel used a multi-layered defence shield to block Iran’s mass drone and missile attack on Israeli territory overnight. Its defensive array includes short-range Iron Dome and long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 missiles.

Israel has been honing its air defences since coming under Iraqi Scud salvoes in the 1991 Gulf war.

Arrow

The long-range Arrow-2 and Arrow-3 system, developed by Israel with an Iranian missile threat in mind, is designed to intercept ballistic missiles outside the earth’s atmosphere, using a detachable warhead that collides with the target.

It operates at an altitude that allows for the safe dispersal of any non-conventional warheads.

State-owned Israel Aerospace Industries is the project’s main contractor, while Boeing is involved in producing the interceptors.

On Oct 31, Israel’s military said it had used the Arrow aerial defence system for the first time since the Oct 7 outbreak of the war with Hamas to intercept a surface-to-surface missile in the Red Sea fired towards its territory.

On Sept 28, Germany signed …