Tensions between Israel and Palestine have escalated in recent days following tit-for-tat airstrikes and rocket attacks. Dramatic images circulated on social media on May 12 showing an Israeli air defense system intercepting a rocket launched by an armed group.
According to The Drive magazine, the photos, believed to have been taken by Israeli photojournalist Gilad Kfir, show an interceptor missile with its engine blazing directly into the target rocket, creating a fireball in the sky.
The photos are believed to have been taken by photojournalist Gilad Kfir.
The rocket is believed to be a Badr-3, an unguided rocket used by the Al-Quds Brigade of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad. Islamic Jihad is the second largest Islamist militant group in the Gaza Strip, after Hamas.
Some sources say the interceptor missile was launched from Israel's famous Iron Dome air defense system, while others say it was a David's Sling missile, because just hours before these photos appeared, the manufacturer Rafael posted on Twitter that the Israeli military had carried out its first interception using the David's Sling system in central Israel, against a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip.
The Iron Dome system launches an interceptor missile from the city of Sderot, Israel on May 10.
Iron Dome and David's Sling are two of the systems that make up Israel's defense layer. Iron Dome specializes in dealing with targets from 4-70 km while David's Sling deals with targets further away.
The Iron Dome system uses Tamir missiles, which are designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The Iron Dome system has been successfully deployed thousands of times since it was put into service in 2011 and has a 96 percent success rate, according to Reuters. The Tamir missile primarily uses proximity fuses, meaning the warhead detonates as it approaches the target. However, the missile can also hit targets directly, thanks to its high accuracy.
The Iron Dome system intercepts rockets in the city of Ashkelon, Israel on May 11.
Meanwhile, the Stunner interceptor missile of the David's Sling system destroys the target by crashing directly into it. The Stunner is 4.5 meters long and consists of a solid-fuel booster and the main missile with the mission of destroying the target.
The Stunner missile's curved head resembles a dolphin's head, which can be distinguished from the Tamir missile. However, the resolution of the images makes identification impossible. The David's Sling system has been in service with the Israeli military since 2017, with each battery having a launcher that can hold up to 12 missiles.
The Stunner missile's range is believed to be between 241 and 321 km, although most interceptions have occurred at closer ranges, especially against rockets that typically lack guidance systems.
David's Sling system during a Stunner missile launch
US MISSILE DEFENSE AGENCY
If David's Sling missiles were indeed used to intercept the rocket in the photo, the use would be somewhat confusing. First, the Iron Dome system is more commonly used for these types of targets, and second, each Stunner costs about $1 million, many times more than the target rocket. Each Tamir costs $40,000 to $100,000, and its use to intercept conventional rockets has been controversial in the past.
Therefore, it is reported that the David's Sling system was used to intercept the said rocket because the target was heading towards an area not protected by Iron Dome.
It is not yet clear whether the missile in the photos was from the Iron Dome system or David's Sling. However, Rafael's announcement shows that Israel is expanding its multi-layered defense capabilities to counter a wide range of threats, from high-tech weapons to the conventional rockets used by militant groups in the Gaza Strip.
Source link
Comment (0)