Iran’s Missiles Breach Israeli Shield: How The ‘Most Trusted’ Defence System Is Now Under Fire

Destruction in Israel caused by Iranian missiles (Photo: ANI/Reuters)

New Delhi: Israel has long prided itself on having one of the most battle-proven missile defence systems in the world. From the Iron Dome to Arrow-3, these multi-layered systems have guarded its skies for over a decade against rockets, drones and even ballistic missiles. But the recent wave of Iranian missile attacks has rattled that confidence.

Some of Iran’s projectiles pierced through the very network designed to stop them. Buildings were damaged. Lives were lost. And questions are being raised.

Israel is no stranger to incoming fire. Over the years, it has faced barrages from Hamas in Gaza, Hezbollah in Lebanon and Houthi fighters in Yemen. Each front has pushed the Israeli military to develop missile shields that can intercept threats arriving from various directions, altitudes and speeds.

Let’s take a closer look at what Israel’s defence architecture looks like, and why even the most advanced systems could not stop everything this time.

Iron Dome

The Iron Dome is perhaps the most recognised part of Israel’s defense. Built to intercept short-range rockets and mortar shells, the system is designed for threats launched from as close as 4 km to as far as 70 km.

Each Iron Dome battery consists of 3-4 launchers. Every launcher holds up to 20 interceptor missiles. The system is smart. It tracks incoming rockets, determines whether they are headed toward populated areas and only intercepts those that pose a real danger. Others are allowed to fall in open areas.

The Iron Dome has a high success rate, with the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) claiming it neutralises up to 90% of incoming threats it targets. But each “Tamir” interceptor missile costs nearly $50,000, making sustained use expensive.

Originally developed after the 2006 Lebanon War, the Iron Dome saw its first combat use in 2011. Since then, it has intercepted thousands of rockets, especially during recent conflicts with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in Gaza.

David’s Sling

Known in Hebrew as “Magic Wand”, David’s Sling fills the gap between the Iron Dome and higher-altitude systems. It can strike threats at distances up to 300 km, including cruise missiles, aircraft and large drones.

Jointly developed by Israel’s Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and U.S.-based Raytheon, this system has been operational since 2017.

Like Iron Dome, David’s Sling only targets projectiles that endanger civilian zones. Each “Stunner” interceptor costs around $1 million – a steep price for precision.

Arrow 2 and Arrow 3

The Arrow 2 system was developed in the aftermath of the 1991 Gulf War, when Iraq fired Soviet-made Scud missiles at Israel. It is meant to neutralise ballistic missiles at altitudes up to 50 km in the upper atmosphere and can track threats from as far as 500 km away. The system entered service in 2000 and can engage up to 14 targets at once.

Introduced in 2017, Arrow 3 goes even further literally. It can intercept long-range ballistic missiles outside Earth’s atmosphere with a range of up to 2,400 km.

Arrow systems are the crown jewels of Israel’s upper-tier defence. In 2023, Arrow 3 was used to intercept a missile launched by Houthi rebels toward a coastal city in southern Israel.

Arrow 2 and Arrow 3 are produced by Israel Aerospace Industries with technical support from Boeing.

THAAD

After Iran’s massive strike in October 2024, the United States deployed one of its Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) batteries to Israel.

THAAD is designed to intercept incoming missiles in the final phase of their flight, just before impact, within a range of 150-200 km. It can neutralise threats both inside the atmosphere and beyond.

Each THAAD battery comes with six launchers and eight missiles per launcher. Unlike Israeli systems, which are run by IDF personnel, this one is operated by U.S. troops stationed in Israel.

The U.S. military has used THAAD since 2015 and has sold it to allies like Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

So What Went Wrong?

No missile defense is perfect. While Israel’s layered shield is among the most advanced, Iran’s latest barrage was different. It was designed to overwhelm, confuse and stretch the system’s limits. Some missiles were intercepted. Some were not.

Missile defence, at its core, is a race – technology versus tactics. And sometimes, a few get through.

What is clear, though, is that Israel’s systems held off the bulk of the attack. But the gaps that did appear will now push Israeli engineers and military planners back to the drawing board.

Because in this part of the world, the skies are never silent for long.