Israel faces a severe shortage of interceptor missiles, as it strengthens its air defense systems to defend against attacks by Iran and its proxies, the London-based Financial Times newspaper reported Tuesday morning, citing senior military industry officials, former officers and experts.
The newspaper describes how the U.S. is rushing to help close the gaps, including the deployment of the advanced THAAD air defense system that will soon arrive in Israel, in what is described as a race against time to strengthen Israel's air defense.
Test of THAAD system
(Reuters)
"Israel’s munitions issue is serious,”" Dana Stroll, a former senior official at the U.S. Department of Defense, responsible for the Middle East, explained to the newspaper.
“If Iran responds to an Israel attack [with a massive air strike campaign], and Hezbollah joins in too, Israel air defenses will be stretched,” she said, adding that U.S. stockpiles are not limitless. “The U.S. can’t continue supplying Ukraine and Israel at the same pace. We are reaching a tipping point.”
The newspaper links the closing of the gaps in defense to the Pentagon's announcement of the deployment of the THAAD system that will arrive in Israel, in preparation for the expected attack in Iran, which could lead to further regional escalation. According to the Pentagon, the U.S. is "rushing" to help close the gaps in the Israeli defense lines, which is why it announced the placement of the battery.
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THAAD system in Israel
(Photo : AFP/ HANDOUT / DVIDS / US ARMY / Staff Sergeant Cory D. Payne)
Boaz Levy, chief executive of Israel Aerospace Industries, a state-owned company which makes the Arrow interceptors used to shoot down ballistic missiles, told the newspaper he is running triple shifts to keep production lines running.
“Some of our lines are working 24 hours, seven days a week. Our goal is to meet all our obligations,” Levy said, adding that the time required to produce interceptor missiles is “not a matter of days”. While Israel does not disclose the size of its stockpiles, he added: “It is no secret that we need to replenish stocks.”
The British newspaper explained that Israel's three-tiered air defense systems have so far succeeded in intercepting most of the UAVs and missiles fired by Iran and its proxies at the country. The Iron Dome system intercepted short-range rockets and UAVs fired by Hamas from Gaza, while the David Slingshot intercepted heavier rockets fired from Lebanon, and the Arrow system stopped ballistic missiles from Iran.
During the Iranian attack in April, according to the IDF, a 99% interception rate was achieved against the barrage, which included 170 drones, 30 cruise missiles and 120 ballistic missiles. Israel reportedly had less success in repelling the second barrage, that took place at the beginning of the month, which included more from 180 ballistic missiles. Intelligence sources told the newspaper that nearly 35 missiles hit the Nevatim Airbase in southern Israel near Be'er Sheva.
Rockets fired from Lebanon intercepted over the Haifa Bay area
(Video: Netanel Issacs)
As for Hezbollah, Lt. Col. Assaf Orion, former head of the strategy department in the IDF, explained to the British newspaper: "We are not seeing Hizbollah’s full capability yet. It has only been firing at around a tenth of its estimated prewar launching capacity, a few hundred rockets a day instead of as many as 2,000."
“Some of that gap is a choice by Hezbollah not to go full out, and some of it is due to degradation by the IDF . . . But Hezbollah has enough left to mount a strong operation,” Orion added. “Haifa and northern Israel are still on the receiving end of rocket and drone attacks almost every day.”
During the security review presented to the ministers Monday by Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and the head of the IDF's Strategy Division Major General Eliezer Toledano, Gallant was asked about armaments. He replied that there was a large gap when he entered the Defense Ministry, which he instructed to be filled before the start of the war. He revealed that "we are still dependent in air armaments and American planes," but he clarified that "we are working with all our might to promote blue-white production and the development of independence" on the issue of armaments.
Our commentator Ron Ben Yishai pointed out in a recent piece that the agreement being formed with the U.S. to place THAAD in Israel is as much a result of American coercion as it is of Israeli necessity. The IDF's need is clear: It needs the addition of American interceptor missiles and launchers to deal with the hundreds of missiles that the Iranians may launch , if and when Israel responds to the attack against it on October 1. In this case, the quantities and numbers speak for themselves. The more missiles are launched in one or two small volleys in order to saturate the defense systems - the more launchers, interceptor missiles and radars are needed.
Israel has several layers of interceptor missile batteries. On top is the Arrow 3 system, which hits the attacking missiles at a distance of hundreds of kilometers outside the atmosphere. Below that is the Arrow 2, which hits missiles close to the limit of the atmosphere, at a distance exceeding 100 kilometers. Far below is the David Slingshot system, which is designed to protect against missiles from a long distance in the atmosphere. At the bottom is the Iron Dome, which protects sites and intercepts missiles at short ranges of up to a hundred kilometers.
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David's Sling missile defense system in action
(Photo: Spokesperson and Public Relations Department at the Ministry of Defense)
Brigadier General Zvika Chaimovitz, former commander of the air defense system, said Tuesday morning in an interview with Ynet: "The THAAD system is a significant force component and I don't want to compare it with the Arrow system, but in the end you add dozens more interceptors. It is a significant force that joins our forces, and we have seen scenarios of 200 missiles. It is assumed that if the conflict with Iran continues, we are expected to see more here."
According to him, "the U.S. is a great power. When you look at capabilities, it's not a numbers game. In the end it's a combination of defense and attack. As for the economy of armaments, it is the result of policy. I don't think, from my knowledge, that an armaments economy component is leading the U.S. We are very far from the stage where we will have to do a lack economy."
He also emphasizes that, despite the damage to the terrorist organization, Hezbollah still "has more capabilities."
"It is too early to eulogize it. Hezbollah is in the stage of recovery and coming out of the shock. It is a decentralized organization, very focused at the strategic level."
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