Is Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system ironclad?

By JULIA FRANKEL
Associated Press

JERUSALEM (AP) — Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system enjoys a near-mythical status among Israelis. The Israeli military estimates it protects against 90% of rockets fired at Israeli territory and the West Bank from militants in the Gaza Strip. But the Dome faces its stiffest challenge yet as Israel comes under unprecedented rocket fire from both Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon. By Israeli military estimates, Hamas has already fired 7,000 rockets into Israel during the current war. Hezbollah has fired hundreds as well. The Iron Dome is a series of batteries that use radars to detect incoming short-range rockets and intercept them.