- Taiwan shuts down as Typhoon Krathon approaches
- Netflix war epic to open Asia's largest film festival
- Can music help plants grow? Study suggests sound boosts fungus
- Death toll from powerful storm Helene tops 150 in US
- Guatemala dismantles migrant trafficking ring
- Tigers beat Astros, Royals blank Orioles to open MLB playoffs
- US, Israel warn of response to Iranian missile attack
- Nike earnings drop, says turnaround will take time
- Vance, Walz set for US VP debate clash
- Arsenal beat PSG in Champions League duel, Dortmund hit Celtic for seven
- Inter sweep past Red Star to claim first Champions League win
- Tigers defeat Astros 3-1 to open MLB playoffs
- Celtic got 'spooked', says Rodgers after Dortmund beating
- 'Rusty' Foden happy to kickstart Man City season in Bratislava rout
- Fires taking Amazon closer to 'point of no return': expert
- NFL suspends Bills' Miller four games for personal conduct violation
- US dockworkers launch mass strike a month before election
- Leverkusen hold on to beat AC Milan in the Champions League
- Lewandowski hits brace as Barca crush Young Boys
- Man City kickstart Champions League campaign with Bratislava rout
- Dortmund and Adeyemi hand Celtic brutal European reality check
- Havertz and Saka star as Arsenal sink PSG
- Iron Dome: Israel's key anti-missile shield
- Babar Azam resigns as Pakistan's white-ball skipper
- Iran threatens 'crushing attacks' if Israel responds
- Over 100 people to sue Sean 'Diddy' Combs for sex assault: lawyer
- Kompany confident Kane will be fit to face Aston Villa
- Pras Michel sues Lauryn Hill for fraud over canceled Fugees tour
- Cranes stand still as US dockworkers fight for 'future'
- Prayers and applause: two sides of Jerusalem react to Iran missiles
- Real Madrid to take no risks with Mbappe at Lille in Champions League
- Brest claim stunning Champions League win, Stuttgart draw
- Mexico's new president tells investors their money is safe
- GM reports US sales dip, but says EVs grew
- Man Utd captain Fernandes has red card rescinded
- US breast cancer rate rising sharply even as deaths fall: study
- Sheinbaum takes office as Mexico's first woman president
- Iran fires missiles at Israel in new escalation
- Euro 2025 ticket sales kick off in snowy Alps
- Ireland unveils bumper budget with Apple tax cash boost
- Webb telescope detects carbon dioxide on Pluto's largest moon
- Emery keen to show Villa can compete in 'special' Bayern clash
- Parents can now limit Fortnite play time
- Kenyan lawmarkers seek to impeach deputy president
- Israel braces for Iranian attack after US warning
- Slot calls for Liverpool to show they missed Champions League stage
- Jimmy Carter: president, global mediator, Nobel laureate
- China drives record growth in renewable energy jobs: report
- Iran preparing imminent missile attack on Israel: US
- French PM vows more taxes and spending cuts ahead of budget fight
Iron Dome: Israel's key anti-missile shield
Israel's Iron Dome air defence system has intercepted thousands of rockets since it went into operation in 2011, providing the country with crucial cover during times of conflict.
It has been heavily relied upon to protect military and civilian sites from frequent barrages of rockets fired from Gaza and Lebanon in the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
Israel's air defences were in operation on Tuesday night, when Iran fired missiles at Israel in what it said was a response to Israel's killing of Tehran-backed militant leaders.
Israel's military chief Herzi Halevi said Tuesday that the Iranian barrage had been blunted partly by "a very strong aerial defence array".
The system had also intercepted more than 200 drones and missiles launched by Iran on April 13.
Israel initially developed the Iron Dome alone after the 2006 Lebanon War, and was later joined by the United States, which has provided its defence know-how and billions of dollars in financial support for the program.
The system has an interception rate of around 90 percent, according to Israeli defence firm Rafael, which helped design it.
Here's how it works:
- Three-part system -
The Iron Dome is one part of Israel's multi-tiered missile defence systems and is designed to intercept short-range rockets at a distance of up to 70 kilometres (43 miles).
Each Iron Dome battery is made up of three main sections: a radar detection system, a computer to calculate the incoming rocket's trajectory, and a launcher that fires interceptors if the rocket is deemed likely to hit a built-up or strategic area.
It sits alongside other missile defence systems like the Arrow, which counters ballistic missiles, and David's Sling, for medium-range rocket or missile attacks.
- How much does it cost?
Each Iron Dome interceptor costs $40,000 to $50,000 to produce, according to the Washington-based Center for Strategic and International Studies.
The think tank estimated that a complete system, including the radar, computer and three to four launchers -- each containing up to 20 interceptors -- costs around $100 million to produce.
Israel has 10 such systems in operation, according to Raytheon, which helps manufacture the Iron Dome. Other estimates have put the figure slightly higher.
- Bipartisan US support -
The Iron Dome is one of the strategic pillars of the US-Israeli alliance that has been followed by successive Democratic and Republican administrations.
In August 2019 the US Army signed a contract to purchase two Iron Dome batteries to enhance its own short-range missile defence capabilities.
M.Gameiro--PC