Israel denies shortage of missile interceptors

Israel employs a multi-layered system to defend against short-, medium- and long-range missiles.

By Pesach Benson, TPS

The Israel Defense Forces on Sunday rejected recent media reports claiming Israeli air defenses face a shortage of interceptor missiles.

“As of now, there is no problem with interceptors,” an IDF source told TPS-IL. “We have prepared for prolonged fighting. We are monitoring the situation constantly.”

Recent media reports claimed Israel had notified the U.S. that it was facing a critical shortage of ballistic missile interceptors.

Israel employs a multi-layered system to defend against short-, medium- and long-range missiles.

The Arrow-3 system, Israel’s long-range ballistic missile interceptor, had its first operational success when it shot down a ballistic missile fired by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen in November 2023.

It is widely believed to be the first time a missile was intercepted in outer space, though Israeli officials have not confirmed this.

Other layers include David’s Sling, designed to shoot down medium-range threats at high altitudes, and the C-Dome system, designed to protect naval assets from short-range threats. C-Dome made its first operational intercept in April 2024.

Iron Dome is the best-known system in Israel’s multi-tiered air defense network, protecting against short-range missiles.

Israel also became the first country to deploy a laser-based air defense system, the Iron Beam.