Israel Tests Massive Inflatable Missile Detection System

Rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip to Israel, connected May 17, 2021. (Hatem Moussa/AP Photo)

JERUSALEM—Israel said Wednesday it has begun investigating a monolithic inflatable rocket detection strategy designed to hover astatine precocious altitudes and observe long-range threats.

Israel already boasts an array of blase rocket defenses, which were utilized successfully during the 11-day Gaza warfare this year.

The High Availability Aerostat System resembles a elephantine blimp oregon zeppelin. The Defense Ministry says it’s 1 of the world’s largest systems of its kind. It was developed successful practice with a subsidiary of state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and TCOM, a U.S. aerostat manufacturer.

Israel has moved aggressively successful caller years to antagonistic imaginable threats from Iran, the Hezbollah violent radical successful Lebanon and Gaza’s violent Hamas rulers, each of which boast ample arsenals of rockets susceptible of hitting large cities.

During the Gaza war, Hamas fired barrages of rockets astatine Tel Aviv successful an effort to overwhelm Israel’s Iron Dome defence system, but Israeli officials accidental it changeable down astir 90 percent of the projectiles it targeted.

Israel carried retired hundreds of airstrikes against what it said were violent targets. The warring killed much than 250 Palestinians, including 129 civilians, according to the United Nations. There were 13 deaths connected the Israeli side.