No injuries were reported. The Houthis said they fired a ballistic missile at Israel’s international airport, the second such attack since the United States began a new campaign of airstrikes against the rebels earlier this week.
Over the decades, Israel has developed a sophisticated system capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population center or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn’t 100% guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties.
Here’s a closer look at Israel’s multilayered air-defense system:
The Arrow: This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used to intercept long-range missiles launched by the Houthis as well as those launched by Iran during two direct exchanges of fire last year.
David’s Sling: Also developed with the U.S., David’s Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon. It has been deployed on multiple occasions throughout the war. Iron Dome: This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade – including volleys launched by Hamas and Hezbollah during the current war. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%. Iron Beam: Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats with laser technology. Israel has said this system will be a game changer because it would be much cheaper to operate than existing systems. According to Israeli media reports, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is about $50,000, while the other systems can run more than $2 million per missile. Iron Beam interceptions, by contrast, would cost a few dollars apiece, according to Israeli officials – but the system is not yet operational.
