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Israel successfully tested the Barak missile defense system this week, leading to a decision to update the system, which can engage high-speed dangers and help protect against enemies attacking from the sea. (Source)

A simulated enemy missile was fired at a ship, and the Barak system intercepted and destroyed it.

Earlier this month, Israel successfully test-fired a missile from the homegrown Iron Dome system, which intercepted and destroyed a short-range rocket called Grad, similar to the Katyusha rocket used by the Lebanese Hezbollah militia. The Iron Dome 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.

(Image: Israel Aerospace Industries)

 
Earlier this month, we blogged about Iran’s threat to deploy Shahab-3 missiles in retaliation against Israel if it preemptively strikes Iran’s nuclear facilities. According to the United Nation’s International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), it has evidence that Tehran, Iran’s capital, secretly tried to modify a Shabab-3 missile cone to fit a nuclear payload.

Israel News reports that Iran denies the claim as a fabrication, although the watchdog agency provided documents and photos to the contrary. An excerpt of the article:

“Iran said an IAEA inquiry into its nuclear activity was at a dead-end because the agency was demanding Tehran reveal conventional military secrets without nuclear dimensions. Iran has denied seeking atom bombs.
 
“Britain has accused Iran of showing contempt for the UN watchdog and, with the United States and France, vowed to seek harsher sanctions on Tehran over its defiance of UN demands for full disclosure and a suspension of uranium enrichment.”
 
According to the IAEA, Iran is also involved in uranium enrichment, which is capable of making nuclear fuel or warhead payloads, although a U.S. intelligence report stated last year that Tehran “stopped all direct work” by 2003.