What is Israel's Iron Dome air defence system and did it fail during the Hamas attack?
The Iron Dome, found in Israel, is known for being one of the most successful methods of protecting the air.
This system was created to counter quick attacks from Gaza and the southern part of Lebanon. It has successfully stopped numerous rockets ever since it was put into action in 2011.
The Ministry of Defence in Israel claims that it can handle multiple threats at the same time and do so effectively, achieving a high success rate of around 90 per cent.
The level of rocket fire from Hamas soldiers during their unexpected attack on Saturday morning was so strong that it overloaded the system.
According to specialists, if Hezbollah, a Lebanese-based group that supports Iran, joins the fight, Israel could experience more intense missile attacks using advanced technology.
Over the weekend, did the powerful Iron Dome missile defense system encounter a breakdown and will it prove to be efficient if the tension in the Middle East persists?
The anti-missile system called Iron Dome in Israel stops rockets from Gaza Strip that were launched, and it happens above Ashkelon city. (Amir Cohen captured this moment in a picture for Reuters.)
Iron Dome: How Does It Work?
The Iron Dome is a missile defence system created by Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, a government-owned entity. It has been supported by the United States and was designed to tackle dangers such as drones, mortars, and rockets, which all have a limited range.
The set-up has three primary components: the thrower with its defensive weapons, a terrestrial multi-purpose scanner, and a regulating system.
The truck-mounted systems use radar technology to launch missiles that destroy objects while they are in the air.
Michael Shoebridge, who is the founder and director of an organization that focuses on defense and security, referred to the system as one that uses its own rocket interceptors to stop incoming rockets and missiles. The system also relies on radar to locate and follow these threats.
The Iron Dome air defence mechanism, established by Israel, is designed to counteract any danger coming from Gaza or the southern parts of Lebanon. (ABC News illustration: Jarrod Fankhauser)
There are currently 10 Iron Dome batteries situated throughout Israel.
The Israel Defense Force (IDF) has claimed that these systems can effectively shield entire cities from rocket attacks that have a range of 4-70 kilometers.
Every available battery has the capability to protect an area of 155 square kilometres. These batteries have been intentionally positioned in strategic spots near cities and densely populated regions.
A battery consists of around three to four launchers, and every launcher has the capacity to accommodate up to 20 interceptors.
In May 2023, Israel's anti-missile system, the Iron Dome, launched an interception to counteract a rocket that was fired from the Gaza Strip towards Israel. The incident was captured by Ohad Zwigenberg, who is a photographer for the Associated Press.
According to Mr. Shoebridge's statement to ABC, it is necessary to have overlapping coverage of Iron Dome batteries based on the number of missiles being fired at you.
Let me provide you with an estimate of the amount of protection you require. If you're facing a barrage of 1,000 missiles, you must equip yourself with no less than 1,000 missile interceptors to defend yourself.
According to reports, every battery costs approximately $US100 million ($157 million), while each interceptor missile is priced at $US50,000.
In order to preserve interceptors, the radar technology efficiently assesses if a missile is headed towards a populated zone. If the missile is not aimed at an inhabited area, it is overlooked and permitted to safely reach its destination.
The Iron Dome system of Israel shoots down rockets that come from the Gaza Strip. This can be seen from the town of Sderot in southern Israel on October 8. (A news agency called Reuters took the picture, and the photographer's name is Ronen Zvulun.)
Although the Iron Dome serves as a crucial component of Israeli aerial protection, it operates in conjunction with other systems.
The Arrow-3 system is one of Israel's many air defence methods. It works together with the David Sling system, which guards the middle layer. However, the Arrow-3 system was created to intercept ballistic missiles in space.
Iron Dome Failure In Surprise Hamas Attack?
According to the IDF, the Iron Dome has the potential to intercept about 85 to 90 percent of any approaching projectiles.
The program has earned a great reputation for its impressive achievements in the last ten years, attracting global recognition.
According to Rafael, they have provided the US Army with two sets of Iron Dome batteries. Ukraine is also looking to acquire these batteries for their conflict with Russia.
Similar to any defense system, it also possesses its own vulnerabilities.
Malcolm Davis, a leading expert in defense strategy at the Australian Strategic Policy Institute, revealed that the system became "overwhelmed" during the surprise attack by Hamas over the weekend, resulting in the display of these vulnerabilities.
The aggressive faction declared that nearly 5,000 projectiles were hurled towards Israel in a period of about 20 minutes.
The Israeli Defense Forces approximated that 2,200 missiles were launched; however, they failed to provide details about the number of missiles that were stopped.
According to reports, projectiles were launched towards the southern and central parts of Israel, which included the cities of Tel Aviv and Jerusalem.
Reports from Israeli officials reveal that a hospital situated in the city of Ashkelon, located along the coast, was targeted by a missile.
A vehicle belonging to the Israeli military caught fire as a result of an attack carried out by gunmen from Hamas who had entered the southern region of Israel. This incident was captured by Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa for Reuters.
According to Dr. Davis, the aim of the attack was to reduce the quantity of missile defense systems in Israel's arsenal.
According to him, the ABC has portrayed the occurrence of Israeli interceptor missiles blasting Hamas rockets while in flight, however, the availability of these interceptor missiles is restricted in quantity at any given period.
A strategy to conquer it is to overpower it. This is a vulnerability present in every air defense system.
People from Israel were strolling beside a set of missiles for protecting the country, known as the Iron Dome. The location was in the southern part of Israel, at Ashkelon. Maya Alleruzzo captured a photo of this scene.
A security group connected to Iran, called Nournews, has declared that the recent attacks indicate that Israel's claims of being able to foresee and prevent resistance actions are false. Nournews considers Israel's "Iron Dome" to be a feeble defense, akin to a weak straw roof over a fragile sand structure.
Nevertheless, according to Mr. Shoebridge, the Iron Dome system didn't necessarily fail during the attack.
He stated that even the best system can face difficulties when it encounters a saturation attack.
Based on my observations, the air defense system remained highly remarkable. Despite being bombarded by numerous rockets and missiles, there is still only a minimal amount of damage and destruction.
Is Mass Rocket Barrage The Issue?
On Saturday morning, when the sky was full of rockets, Hamas militants sneaked into Israel through various means of transportation like land, sea, and air.
In a sudden attack, they destroyed the barriers at the Israeli border and deployed many warriors into Israel to execute bold assaults that resulted in several people dying and increased tensions in the area.
According to Mr. Shoebridge, the opening missile attack from Gaza looks like it was meant to divert attention away from the latest terrorist campaign on the ground.
Their focus on that particular thing diverted them from the larger and unique activity they were engaged in, namely the massive terrorist assault on the ground.
According to him, Israel doesn't need to worry much about Hamas's missile abilities as they are quite restricted and not a significant concern right now.
According to Mr. Shoebridge, an upsetting occurrence has been happening, which involves the dispatch of Hamas militants equipped with automatic firearms into Israeli towns and villages. They have been killing people without any distinction and abducting them, causing significant damage.
"This is the essential military and terrorist center of the assault."
A group of Palestinian fighters managed to breach the border separating Israel from Gaza in a bold attack. (Source: Mohammed Fayq Abu Mostafa/ Reuters)
Dr. Davis has mentioned that the scenario of missile strikes in Israel could worsen considerably if Hezbollah gets engaged with it.
According to him, they possess a total of 150,000 rockets and missiles, and can attack any part of Israel.
On the other hand, Hamas has a restricted ability to attack, such as targeting Tel Aviv at most.
According to Dr. Davis, Israel could potentially confront a situation where Hezbollah intervenes and undergo a significant increase in missile attacks featuring missiles with more advanced technology.
Should Hezbollah and Iran step in, the ensuing conflict would be considerably more extensive.
According to him, Israel has the option to acquire more ballistic missile defense systems, but there are constraints in terms of their availability.
The question to consider is how much damage they can take from the numerous missiles.
