(3 Oct 2024)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – 03 October 2024
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1. SOUNDBITE (English) Jon Gambrell, The Associated Press:
"Israel has multiple missile defense systems and the world is paying a lot of attention to them as the Israel-Hamas war and the wider regional tensions escalated by it continue. Now Israel’s systems are broadly known under the name Iron Dome, but that’s just one system. It targets short-range rockets, the kind that are typically fired by Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip or sometimes by Hezbollah in the north. Those missiles are intercepted by that system. Now, there’s another system called The Arrow. The Arrow intercepts ballistic missiles in outer space. Now, this system is important because just in the last few days, we had Iran launch some 200 ballistic missiles at Israel and we saw at least one Arrow interception. It looks almost like a starburst in the night sky. Then there’s another system known as David’s Sling that targets medium-range missiles. Now, one thing to keep in mind is Israel relies a lot on support from the American government for its military. And one of those high-ticket items are these interceptor missiles. The missiles for the Iron Dome typically cost anywhere around $50,000 apiece. For that Arrow system, it’s upwards of $2 million a missile. That’s why the Israeli military is very careful about when they use them. If they believe that a missile is going to impact the ground in an uninhabited area, typically the Israelis allow that missile to strike, only using these valuable interceptors when they believe there’s a risk to either life or property. "
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STORYLINE:
After Iran launched at least 180 missiles into Israel on Tuesday, the latest barrage in a broader conflict that threatens to push the Middle East closer to a regionwide war, attention is turning to Israel’s assortment of missile defense systems.
As air raid sirens sounded and the orange glow of missiles streaked across the night sky, Israelis scrambled for bomb shelters.
Israeli military spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari said the country’s air defenses intercepted many of the incoming Iranian missiles, though some landed in central and southern Israel.
Due to the high cost of interceptor missiles, Israel is selective in their deployment.
If an incoming missile is likely to land in an uninhabited area and do little damage, military authorities may let it strike, choosing to preserve the expensive interceptors for situations where there is a risk to life or property.
Iran said the barrage was retaliation for a series of devastating blows Israel has landed in recent weeks against the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah in Lebanon, which has been firing rockets into Israel since the war in Gaza began.
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