The Iron Dome is a mobile air defense system developed for Israel by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and artillery shells that are fired towards populated areas.

Iron Dome’s capabilities have been demonstrated and seen in videos multiple times in the Israel-Hamas conflict that began on October 7, 2023 and other occasions as well, like the October 2024 Iranian strikes on Israel.

“We need to immediately begin the construction of a state-of-the-art Iron Dome missile defense shield,” news agency AFP quoted Donald Trump telling a Republican congressional retreat in Miami on the day new Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth took office.

Hegseth told reporters as he arrived at the Pentagon that his first official day would be busy, with additional executive orders expected “on removing DEI inside the Pentagon, reinstating troops who were pushed out because of Covid mandates, Iron Dome for America — this is happening quickly.”

How Iron Dome works?

Iron Dome was designed to protect civilian areas from missile threats, especially in regions with limited warning time.

The system works by detecting incoming projectiles, tracking their trajectory, and calculating whether they will hit a populated area or sensitive infrastructure. If the rocket is determined to be a threat, Iron Dome launches an interceptor missile to destroy it mid-air before it reaches its target.

The highly effective system has been credited for saving many lives, especially during conflicts involving rocket fire from groups such as Hamas in Gaza. Iron Dome has a high success rate and has been a key part of Israel’s defense strategy since its deployment in 2011.