Missile defense

Iron Dome: Neither a 'Bluff' nor the 'End of Rockets'

Israel introduced its Iron Dome interceptor system in 2011 in response to rocket and mortar attacks from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. The technology attracted international attention during the country’s 2012 and 2014 Gaza conflicts. However, it also prompted a controversy regarding its effectiveness.
Each Iron Dome battery includes a radar, command module, and several interceptor launchers. The system detects incoming rockets and estimates their impact points. If the rockets threaten the area being defended, the battery launches interceptors to shoot them down.
Five Iron Dome batteries operated during Israel’s 2012 Operation Pillar of Defense against Gaza. They claimed 421 rocket interceptions, or 85 percent of the rockets engaged. Proponents consequently declared the system a “game-changer that heralds the end of rockets.”

Similarly, nine batteries operated during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge. They reported 735 rocket and mortar interceptions, or 92 percent of those engaged.