Israel’s highly touted multi-layered missile defense system, a cornerstone of its national security, is reportedly facing a critical challenge: a dwindling supply of interceptor missiles, particularly the advanced Arrow system.
This comes as Iran continues to launch ballistic missile attacks, albeit with reduced salvos, raising concerns that Israel could exhaust its defensive arsenal before Tehran depletes its offensive one.
According to a U.S. official who spoke anonymously with The Wall Street Journal on Wednesday, Israel is “running out” of Arrow interceptor missiles. These sophisticated interceptors are crucial for neutralizing ballistic missiles, a threat that the widely known Iron Dome system is not designed to handle.
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While the Iron Dome effectively counters less advanced rockets from groups like Hamas, Israel relies on the Arrow system and David’s Sling (for medium-range ballistic missiles) to defend against the faster, more unpredictable ballistic missile threats.
Additionally, the Terminal High-Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system is deployed for intercepting ballistic missiles in their challenging terminal phase of flight.
Iran, though reportedly burning through its own stockpile of roughly 2,000 ballistic missiles, has recently adopted a strategy of firing smaller volleys. This change in tactics could prolong the conflict and exacerbate Israel’s interceptor shortage.
The exact number of interceptors Israel possesses remains classified, but some Israeli officials are reportedly expressing concern, hoping for a swift end to hostilities to avoid a scenario where their defenses are depleted.
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The United States has been aware of Israel’s missile defense predicament for months, according to the unnamed U.S. official. This awareness is a key factor behind the ongoing involvement of U.S. forces stationed near Israel, who are actively assisting in intercepting incoming Iranian ballistic missiles. The extent of U.S. anti-missile assets deployed for this purpose remains undisclosed.
The strategic dilemma is compounded by current political considerations in the U.S. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt announced on Thursday that President Donald Trump is taking two weeks to decide whether to join offensive operations against Iran. RELATED: Tic-Toc, Tehran: Trump Issues Two-Week Warning On Iran Action
This decision could significantly impact the trajectory of the conflict and, by extension, the strain on Israel’s critical missile defense capabilities. The coming weeks will likely reveal whether Israel’s advanced technology can outpace the persistent, albeit diminishing, threat from Iran’s ballistic missile arsenal.
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