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Israel made history in recent days with the first operational use of a laser defense system during its war with Hamas.
Its “Iron Beam” laser successfully intercepted an incoming rocket fired by terrorists in the Gaza Strip at Israeli territory, according to Israeli media.
It is the first ever ground-based laser air defense system against rockets, mortars and unmanned aerial vehicles, delivering speed-of-light engagement of threats at low cost compared to missile interceptors. This was the first time it had been used in a war zone.
More than 10,000 missiles, rockets, mortars and drones have been launched at Israel since the start of “Operation Swords of Iron” in response to Hamas’s Oct. 7 massacre. Israel’s missile defense system can be costly. For every missile shot into Israel, it is met by a high-tech missile defense system costing millions.
Israel is accelerating the development of the Iron Beam, with the security establishment aiming to make it fully operational as early as next year, according a report on Monday in Israeli daily business news site Calcalist.
“More than a hundred engineers from Rafael’s Research, Development and Engineering division are working on accelerating the development of Iron Beam,” the article states.
‘Iron Sting’ used for the first time in combat
Israel’s “Iron Sting” laser- and GPS-guided mortar weapon was also used for the first time in combat during the Gaza ground operation, the IDF reported on Tuesday.
Soldiers used the Iron Sting weapon along with the Spike anti-tank guided missile during activities in the Strip. According to the IDF, the Maglan soldiers destroyed over 70 targets and killed dozens of terrorists.
