translated from Spanish: Israeli-Palestinian conflict: how the Iron Dome, Israel’s powerful missile shield, works

The fire crossing between Israeli and Palestinian forces continues to escalate and the United Nations fears a “large-scale war.”

Since Monday, Palestinian hamas service members have launched more than 1,000 missiles over Israel, most in and near tel Aviv, and Israeli forces have carried out deadly bombings on Gaza, leaving dozens dead in total.

But Israel has a powerful shield to protect against rockets launched by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip: the so-called Iron Dome.

The Israeli army reportedly, of the about 1,050 missiles and mortars fired, 850 were intercepted by this missile system.

Several images and videos attest to his ability, showing how it simultaneously destroys several missiles in the air and prevents them from falling on civilian settlements.

However, like any other defense system, the Iron Dome is not foolproof, and experts warn that other organizations with greater power can undermine its effectiveness.

In recent years, the powerful Iron Dome has protected Israeli urban centers from Hamas-launched missiles. Credit: GETTY.

How Iron Dome Works

Also known as Iron Dome, this shield is part of an extensive operational air defense system in Israel.

It aims to protect the country from ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, rockets and other aerial threats.

It was designed by Rafael Advanced Defense System LTD, a private firm with links very close to the Israeli armed forces that builds air, sea and land defense systems.

It was also funded in more than US$200 million by the United States.

Its manufacturer claims that it is the world’s most deployed anti-missile system So what is effective in more than 90% cases.

Batteries are made of interceptor missiles, radars and command systems that analyze where enemy rockets can fall.

Radar technology differentiates between missiles that can reach urban areas and those that fail their target. The system then decides which ones should be intercepted.

These interceptors are launched vertically from mobile or static units. Then they detonate the missiles in the air.

On Tuesday night, missiles intercepted by the Iron Dome could be seen in the Israeli sky. Credit: GETTY.

For what purpose it was installed

The Iron Dome is rooted in the conflict that pitted Israel against Hezbollah, the Lebanese Islamist group, in 2006.

Hezbollah then launched thousands of rockets that resulted in the deaths of dozens of Israelis and left great damage.

However Israeli efforts to develop an anti-missile shield go back more than three years ago Decades and are part of military collaboration between Israel and the United States.

In 1986, Israel signed a contract with the U.S. to investigate anti-ballistic systems as part of a Project of the Ronald Reagan Administration’s Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI).

Five years after this agreement, Israeli leaders accelerated their efforts to develop this system when Iraqi President Saddam Hussein ordered the launch of Scud missiles over Israel during the First Gulf War.

By early 2010, the Iron Dome had already successfully passed the tests conducted by the Israeli army.

In April 2011 it was first tested in combat, when it shot down a missile launched against the city of Beersheba in the south of the country.
Mobile and static units identify missiles that could fall into urban areas and shoot them down in the air. Credit: GETTY.

Weaknesses

Since Monday, alarms have been heard about missiles launched from Gaza in several Israeli cities, including Tel Aviv, Ascalón, Modi’in and Beersheba.

Palestinian militants have been trying to saturate the powerful Israeli defense system, experts agree.

Anna Ahronheim, defense and security correspondent for the Israeli newspaper The Jerusalem PostHe told the BBC that he was “terrifying to hear hundreds of interceptions and missiles“ falling near them.

Missile fire intensified after two residential apartment blocks were shot down in Gaza on Tuesday.

Israel said it was targeting rocket launch sites, skyscrapers, homes and offices usedHamas, who for his part said he was outraged by the “enemy’s attack on residential towers.”

In the past, it is reported that the Iron Dome has shot down about 85%-90% of Hamas-launched missiles.

However, according to an analysis by Yonah Jeremy Bob, intelligence analyst for The Jerusalem Post, the Iron Dome can repel Hamas attacks, but could have more difficulties in the face of organizations like Hezbollah, capable of launching more missiles in less time.

Reviews

There is no doubt that this system has protected Israelis from lethal attacks over the past decade, but nor has it been spared criticism of its long-term usefulness.
Some experts question the usefulness of the Iron Dome in the long run of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Credit: GETTY.

Experts such as Yoav Fromer, a political scientist at Tel Aviv University in Israel, argue that this technological shield is a short-term resource within a much deeper conflict.

“Many years later we remain trapped in the same cycle of endless violence. The remarkable success of the Iron Dome has ironically and unintentionally contributed to the failure of the foreign policies that have created this escalation of violence,” Fromer tells BBC Mundo.

“That the Israeli government has failed in developing a firm strategy to at least neutralize Hamas’ threat can be seen, at least indirectly, as a result of the Iron Dome successfully providing us with ‘sufficient’ protection,” the expert adds.

Fromer believes that the defense provided by this system has helped Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister, have never received sufficient public pressure to create policies that resolve the threat from Gaza.

Original source in Spanish