ISRAEL:ISRAEL HAS deployed its Iron Dome missile defence system for the first time, positioning a battery yesterday close to the southern city of Beersheba, which was hit last week by rockets fired from Gaza.
The €124 million Israeli system is designed to defend against rockets at a range of 4km to 70km by using cameras and radar to track incoming rockets and shoot them down within seconds of their launch.
The deployment was ordered following public pressure after more than 80 rockets and mortars were fired into southern Israel last week. However, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu cautioned that Iron Dome is still in its experimental stage and cannot provide full protection. “Israel has been under the threat of missile attack for 20 years, since the first Gulf War.
“I don’t want to create the illusion that Iron Dome will prove a full or comprehensive answer,” he said. The real answer to the missile attacks was a combination of deterrence, preventive measures and the resilience of the government and the people, he added.
Council heads in southern Israel complained yesterday that the system was only deployed to protect Beersheba, the largest city in the area. A second Iron Dome battery is due to be deployed later this week close to the city of Ashdod.
Two Islamic Jihad gunmen were killed and three injured when their car was hit by an Israeli aircraft missile in the northern Gaza strip yesterday. Palestinian sources confirmed that the five militants were members of a rocket-firing cell, but denied Israeli claims they were on their way to carrying out an attack when hit.
The Israeli strike came a day after militant groups in Gaza announced they would stop rocket attacks if Israel halted military actions in the strip.
Islamic Jihad spokesman Khalid al-Batash accused Israel of trying to undermine the agreement between the Palestinian factions. He said Israel’s strike was unacceptable and that his group reserved the right to retaliate against “Israel’s crimes”.
Mr Netanyahu told ministers Israel will not tolerate attacks on its civilians. “We have no interest in escalating the situation, but will not hesitate employing the army’s force.” But hardline minister Uzi Landau accused the government of talking tough but failing to act.
“The current policy legitimises the reality where it’s OK to shoot rockets at towns and cities in Israel,” Mr Landau said.