Tensions between Israel and Palestine have escalated in recent days following airstrikes and rocket attacks. Dramatic images circulated on social media on May 12 showing an Israeli air defense system intercepting a rocket launched by an armed group.
According to The Drive magazine, the photos, believed to have been taken by Israeli photojournalist Gilad Kfir, show an interceptor missile with its engine blazing directly into the target rocket, creating a fireball in the sky.
The photos are believed to have been taken by photojournalist Gilad Kfir.
The rocket is believed to be a Badr-3, an unguided rocket used by the Al-Quds Brigades of the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group. Islamic Jihad is the second-largest Islamist militant group in the Gaza Strip, after Hamas.
Some sources say the interceptor was launched from Israel's famous Iron Dome air defense system, while others say it was a David's Sling missile, because just hours before these photos appeared, the manufacturer Rafael tweeted that the Israeli military had carried out its first interception with the David's Sling system in central Israel, against a rocket launched from the Gaza Strip.
The Iron Dome system launches an interceptor missile from the city of Sderot, Israel on May 10.
Iron Dome and David's Sling are two of the systems that make up Israel's defense layer. Iron Dome specializes in dealing with targets from 4-70 km while David's Sling is against targets further away.
The Iron Dome system uses Tamir missiles, which are designed to intercept short-range rockets and artillery shells. The Iron Dome system has been successfully deployed thousands of times since it was put into use in 2011 and has a 96 percent success rate, according to Reuters. Tamir missiles primarily use proximity fuses, meaning the warhead detonates when it gets close to the target. However, the missiles can also attack directly thanks to their high accuracy.
The Iron Dome system intercepts rockets in the city of Ashkelon, Israel on May 11.
Meanwhile, the David's Sling system's Stunner interceptor missile destroys the target by crashing directly into it. The Stunner is 4.5 meters long and consists of a solid-fuel booster and the main missile with the mission of destroying the target.
The Stunner missile's curved, dolphin-like head could be distinguished from the Tamir missile, but the resolution of the images makes identification impossible. The David's Sling system has been in service with the Israeli military since 2017, with each battery having a launcher that can hold up to 12 missiles.
The Stunner missile's range is believed to be 241-321 km, although most interceptions have occurred at closer ranges, especially against rockets that typically lack guidance systems.
David's Sling system during a Stunner missile launch
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If David's Sling missiles were indeed used to intercept the rocket in the photo, it would be somewhat confusing. First, the Iron Dome system is more commonly used for these targets, and second, each Stunner costs about $1 million, many times more than the target rocket. Each Tamir costs $40,000 to $100,000, and its use against conventional rockets has been controversial in the past.
Therefore, it is reported that the David's Sling system was used to intercept the said rocket because the target was heading towards an area not protected by Iron Dome.
It is not yet clear whether the missile in the photos is from the Iron Dome system or David's Sling. However, Rafael's announcement shows that Israel is expanding its multi-layered defense capabilities to counter a variety of threats, from high-tech weapons to the conventional rockets used by armed groups in the Gaza Strip.
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