Israel, faced with missile threats from Iran, has increased production of Arrow missile interceptors “significantly.” (Source)

Defense Minister Ehud Barak said, “We will need to expand our arsenal of Arrow interceptors” which are capable of intercepting Iranian, Syrian Shihab, and Scud missiles. Israel’s air force also is upgrading existing Arrow interceptors to the new Arrow II missile system.

Earlier this month, Israel reported intercepting a ship that left Iran bound for Hezbollah carrying missiles, rockets, anti-tank weapons. Barak said the seizing was “another success against the relentless attempts to smuggle weapons to bolster terrorist elements threatening Israel’s security,” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the weapons were “intended to hit Israeli cities.”

Israel and the U.S. recently conducted a joint missile defense exercise that simulated a response to an attack by the Islamic Republic, Syria, and Hezbollah. Among the systems tested were the Arrow II, THAAD, Aegis, and PAC-3. The Iron Dome is an anti-rocket shield designed to defend Israel from Hamas and Hezbollah rockets. The U.S. and Israel are working together to develop the Arrow III system to destroy multiple-warhead missiles and decoys.

Israel reported intercepting a ship that left Iran bound for Hezbollah carrying missiles, rockets, anti-tank weapons.

The ship had the appearance of an aid vessel, and the crew and chartering company claimed not to know what was on board. Defense Minister Ehud Barak said the seizing was “another success against the relentless attempts to smuggle weapons to bolster terrorist elements threatening Israel’s security,” and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the weapons were “intended to hit Israeli cities.”

Almost eight years ago, Israel intercepted a ship carrying weapons to Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip.

The U.S. and Israel recently conducted two joint missile drills, Juniper Cobra. The most recent drill was a simulated response to an attack by the Islamic Republic, Syria, and Hezbollah. Among the systems tested were the Arrow II, THAAD, Aegis, and PAC-3. Israel’s Iron Dome is an anti-rocket shield designed to defend Israel from Hamas and Hezbollah rockets and also serves as a major component in a multi-layered missile defense system. The U.S. and Israel are working together to develop Arrow III, designed to destroy multiple-warhead missiles and decoys.

Eli Shaked, former Israeli ambassador to Egypt, said this about Hamas and Hezbollah:

“The situation is becoming more and more complex because the weapons they are acquiring are more and more dangerous to civilian targets in Israel.”

(Story source: Associated Press – Image source: GlobalSecurity.org)

Israel is in Iran’s sights, and the rogue state’s development of short-range rockets, coupled with longer-range Shehab and Sajjil missiles, puts Israel in a dangerous position. As mentioned in the previous post, Israel has been testing the Arrow II, THAAD, Aegis, and PAC-3 and working to improve its Iron Dome anti-rocket shield.

Defense contractor Raytheon recently won two contracts worth over $100 million to develop Israel’s David’s Sling Weapons System. Mike Booen of Raytheon said, “Large-caliber rockets and short-range ballistic missile threats are inexpensive, plentiful, easily concealed and largely exempt from international arms control accords. Stunner [interceptor] offers a near-term and affordable solution to this asymmetric threat.” counter short-range ballistic missiles, large-caliber rockets and cruise missiles in their terminal phase of flight.

An attack on Europe would almost certainly hit American assets on the Continent, and would be invoked by NATO as the same as an attack on the United States itself. As the commemorations of the 9/11 terrorist attacks begin, it should be remembered that it was on 9/12/2001 that for its first and only time, NATO invoked the sacred Article V clause to demonstrate the indivisibility of Euro-Atlantic security.

Iran has already demonstrated that it is an aggressive actor on the international stage, supporting and consorting with odious regimes such as North Korea and terrorist actors such as Hezbollah. It has violently crushed legitimate domestic opposition and sought to solidify its position among Iranian elites with extreme anti-Western rhetoric and actions that glorify past terrorist acts and incite further terrorism.

As President Obama looks to defend the United States against such rogue regimes, missile defense is a tried, tested and trusted protection strategy. The placing of missile defenses outside of the U.S. as well as on the Homeland reinforces America’s long-held commitment to the NATO alliance. To make America and her allies deliberately vulnerable to ballistic missile or nuclear attack makes no sense. In an age where America’s enemies have ballistic missile capabilities, the United States must have missile defense technologies.

As a workable, cost effective, defensive solution to current and emerging threats, missile defense makes sense for America and for Europe. Abandoning America’s most enduring allies now, in the face of unsupportable Russian objections, is a tactical miscalculation with long-term strategic implications. President Obama must not surrender to spurious Russian accusations on one of America’s greatest defense assets.

Xinhuanet reports that Israel’s air force has set up a battalion for operating the Iron Dome. Israel is setting the stage. Faced with short-range weapon and mortar shell attacks, the country needs an anti-rocket system to neutralize these threats.

The Iron Dome is an anti-rocket shield designed to defend Israel from Hamas and Hizbullah rockets and also serves as a major component in a multi-layered missile defense system that includes the Arrow II anti-ballistic missile shield. The Arrow II is designed to counter Iran’s Shahab-3 missile, which has a range of 1,250 miles, far enough to hit Israel.

The Iron Dome may be ready to use in actual battle conditions sometime next year. Xinhuanet reports that Israel will deploy the system to the Gaza border, then along Lebanon’s border.