How Did Iranian Missiles Bypass Israeli Defense Systems?

The sight of dozens of Iranian missiles raining down on most parts of the occupied territories was shocking to many and awe-inspiring for those sympathetic to Gaza. How did all these ballistic missiles manage to hit their targets despite the unwavering support from the U.S. and some European nations? And why did the Iron Dome, which Israel touts as the world’s most powerful air defense system, fail to protect its skies and intercept the missiles fired from Iran?

On Tuesday evening, Iran launched approximately 180 ballistic missiles in a massive aerial assault on Israel, a provocative move that has raised fears of a broader regional war in the Middle East.

Videos shared on social media showed glowing streaks colliding with the ground, along with the subsequent damage caused by the strikes.

Despite strict Israeli censorship and a media blackout on the true extent of the losses and damages due to military control, Hebrew media reported that over 100 homes in the city of Hod Hasharon in central Israel were damaged in the Iranian attack.

The Israeli Army Radio also reported that several airbases were hit during the Iranian assault, though it claimed the damage to infrastructure was not severe.

In a report, the British Telegraph questioned whether Iran had succeeded in defeating one of the world’s most advanced air defense systems.

While analysts argue it’s too early to determine the full success of the Iranian strikes or the failure of Israeli defenses to intercept some of the ballistic missiles, the report highlighted several key indicators that should be examined when assessing the performance of Israeli air defenses.

Timing of the Attack

When Iran launched its previous attack on Israel in April, the strike was widely anticipated long before it occurred. Several nations participating in repelling the Iranian attack had an entire week to prepare.

This provided Israel and its allies in the U.S., U.K., and Europe ample time to deploy fighter jets and warships to aid in intercepting the barrage of Iranian drones and missiles.

In a report by The Telegraph, Samuel Hickey of the Center for Arms Control and Non-Proliferation commented on the recent strike, noting that it “came with relatively more surprise.”

Reports of the Iranian attack on Tuesday surfaced only hours before Tehran initiated the assault.

More Advanced Weaponry

In its first large-scale assault on Israel in April, Iran relied on a combination of missiles and drones, totaling around 300.

While the overall number of missiles launched in the first attack exceeded those in the latest strike on Tuesday, the initial assault primarily consisted of cruise missiles and drones.

Hickey explained, “Iran used slower cruise missiles and kamikaze drones that could be shot down by fighter jets.”

In the second attack, however, Iran deployed ballistic missiles, which surpass cruise missiles in capabilities and can travel at speeds exceeding five times the speed of sound. This makes it far more difficult to intercept them with fighter jets or ground-based systems.

U.S. reports noted that Iran’s use of ballistic missiles posed a much greater challenge to Israeli defenses compared to the earlier drone and cruise missile assault in April.

According to Axios, ballistic missiles can reach Israel within just 12 minutes, whereas drones and cruise missiles take longer.

Interceptor Missile Shortages Due to Ukraine

The Telegraph report also pointed to a shortage of interceptor missiles, as Western efforts to help Ukraine defend its cities against Russian bombardment have drained significant resources. Both Israel and Ukraine heavily rely on the U.S. for these interceptor missiles, necessitating decision-making in their deployment.

Hickey stated, “We still don’t know how many missiles Israel chose to fire, and how many simply fell in areas where they wouldn’t cause much damage to human life or infrastructure… They likely allowed some to pass through.”

In April, a former financial advisor to the Israeli Chief of Staff estimated that a single U.S.-made Arrow missile, designed to intercept ballistic missiles, costs $3.5 million, while Israel’s David’s Sling interceptor missiles cost $1 million per missile.

Reports also indicated that Israel had submitted an “expanded” request to the U.S. administration two weeks ago for additional munitions and weapons to replenish its depleted stockpiles, which were drained by escalating clashes with Hezbollah.

U.S. officials noted that one of the weapon systems Israel requested to replenish was interceptor missiles for the Arrow missile defense system.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, the Israeli army urged its citizens not to disclose the locations of missile strikes that occurred during Tuesday’s Iranian assault, deeming it “aid to the enemy.”

In a statement titled “Important Message,” the Israeli army said on its X platform account on Wednesday: “Revealing missile strike locations and sharing footage from the sites of the strikes are points of weakness.”

Under strict military censorship, Israeli media did not report on the locations where the missiles landed.

However, Israelis on social media shared photos and videos documenting the aftermath of the Iranian missile strikes, including footage of Israeli soldiers taking cover.