A Night of Conflict
On Tuesday night, Iran launched a massive ballistic missile strike on Israel, believed to be one of the most significant missile attacks in recent history. Nearly 200 ballistic missiles were reportedly fired at Israeli targets, leaving many to question how Israel’s highly advanced missile defense systems were breached. This escalation has sparked widespread concern, not just in the region but globally, about the growing tensions and the capabilities of modern warfare.
The Iranian Missile Arsenal: What Was Used?
Iran possesses a wide array of ballistic missiles in its arsenal. Some are shorter-range, meant to hit nearby regions, while others can travel farther, potentially striking distant targets like Israel. During Tuesday’s strike, it is believed that some of the most advanced missiles in Iran’s collection were used.
Shahab-1 and Shahab-2: Out of Range
Iran’s Shahab-1 missile has a range of 300 kilometres, which is not enough to reach Israel. The Shahab-2, with a range of 500 kilometres, is also insufficient to hit Israeli targets. Both of these missiles are considered short-range ballistic missiles and are better suited for targets closer to Iran’s borders.
Fateh and Zolfaghar Missiles: Reaching the Edge
The Fateh missile, which can fly between 300 to 500 kilometers, similarly lacks the range to hit Israel. However, the Zolfaghar missile, with a 700-kilometer range, can just about touch Israeli soil. Though it has the potential to hit the outskirts of Israel, it is still limited in how deep it can penetrate Israeli territory.
Qiam-1: A Step Closer
The Qiam-1 missile has a range of 750 kilometres, just 50 kilometres more than the Shahab-2. This missile is more advanced and has the capability to strike closer to Israel’s heartland, although it still cannot reach deeper regions of the country.
Shahab-3: The Game Changer
One of Iran’s most potent missiles, the **Shahab-3**, boasts a range of 2,000 kilometers. This long-range missile can easily strike all of Israel, and beyond. Variants of this missile are believed to have been used during Tuesday’s attack. It is capable of targeting multiple areas, making it a significant threat during the strike.
Israel’s Defense Systems: The Multi-Layered Shield
Israel is known for having some of the world’s most sophisticated missile defense systems. These systems are designed to protect against a range of threats, from short-range rockets to long-range ballistic missiles.
The Arrow System: The Exosphere Protector
One of Israel’s primary defenses is the **Arrow system**. This is one of the few systems in the world capable of intercepting ballistic missiles outside of the atmosphere, in a region called the exosphere. With a range of up to 2,400 kilometers and an altitude capability of 100 kilometers, the Arrow system is designed to destroy incoming threats before they can re-enter the atmosphere.
This system is highly advanced and plays a crucial role in defending against long-range ballistic missiles like the Shahab-3. However, despite its advanced capabilities, videos from Tuesday night’s attack showed some missiles reaching targets in Israel, suggesting that even this system may have been breached.
David’s Sling: Mid-Range Defense
Another important part of Israel’s defense is the David’s Sling system. This system is designed to intercept medium-range threats. It can intercept targets up to 300 kilometers away and can fly to an altitude of around 15 kilometers. David’s Sling plays an important role in intercepting missiles that might slip past the longer-range systems like Arrow. It is more focused on threats within a mid-range radius and might not be equipped to handle the speed and range of advanced ballistic missiles from Iran.
Iron Dome: The Last Line of Defense
The most well-known part of Israel’s defense is the Iron Dome. This system is specifically designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. It has a range of 70 kilometers and can reach an altitude of 10 kilometers. The Iron Dome is effective at intercepting rockets fired by groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, but it is not designed to take on long-range ballistic missiles. During Tuesday night’s attack, it’s likely that Iron Dome was used to intercept smaller threats, but its limitations meant it could not stop the larger, faster ballistic missiles.
The Breach: How Did Missiles Reach Israel?
Despite the advanced defense systems in place, there were breaches in Israel’s missile shield on Tuesday night. Videos showed missiles hitting Tel Aviv, suggesting that some Iranian missiles were able to get through Israel’s defenses. There are several possibilities for how this happened:
1. Overwhelming Number of Missiles: Iran reportedly fired nearly 200 missiles, which could have overwhelmed Israel’s defense systems. Even the most advanced defense systems can struggle to handle such a large volume of incoming threats at once.
2. Advanced Missile Technology: Some of Iran’s missiles, like the Shahab-3, are highly advanced and may have been able to evade or outmanoeuvre Israel’s defense systems. These missiles are fast, maneuverable, and designed to be difficult to intercept.
3. Fragmentation of Missiles: It’s possible that some of the impacts seen in Israel were fragments of missiles that were intercepted but not completely destroyed. When a missile is intercepted, pieces of it can still fall to the ground and cause damage.
The Aftermath: Damage and Impact
The damage caused by Tuesday night’s missile strike appears to be focused primarily on Israeli military bases. Although there have been reports of missiles hitting Tel Aviv and other areas, there have been no significant reports of civilian casualties. This suggests that Israel’s defense systems were able to prevent widespread loss of life.
A Breach in the Defense
Tuesday night’s missile strike from Iran highlights the ongoing tensions in the region and the capabilities of modern warfare. Despite Israel’s advanced defense systems, including the Arrow, David’s Sling, and Iron Dome, some Iranian missiles were able to breach the defenses and hit targets inside Israel.
The exact number of missiles that hit their intended targets remains unclear, but the attack serves as a reminder that even the most sophisticated defense systems are not foolproof. As the situation continues to develop, the world watches closely for the next moves in this escalating conflict.