Israel marks 10 years of Iron Dome, Gantz says system active 24/7
“We are preparing ourselves at this time on numerous fronts."
By JERUSALEM POST STAFFUpdated: APRIL 7, 2021 21:28Benny Gantz celebrates 10 years of Iron Dome.(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
Although it seems impossible to imagine Israel’s defensive capabilities without it, the Iron Dome missile defense system celebrated its 10th birthday on Wednesday.The completion of its first successful operational interception against a short-range threat originating from the Gaza Strip on April 7, 2011, marked a new era for Israel’s air and missile defense forces.Since then, the Iron Dome has successfully made some 2,500 interceptions that have prevented untold death and destruction, primarily to southern Israel.Defense Minister Benny Gantz, Economy Minister Amir Peretz and senior defense officials attended a ceremony Wednesday marking the anniversary.“We are preparing ourselves at this time on numerous fronts,” Gantz said at the ceremony, adding that the IDF is preparing for threats “at our southern and northern borders, as well as vis-à-vis the threats that Iran is presenting – whether directly or indirectly via its proxies in the Middle East.”Gantz praised the aerial defense combat soldiers, saying: “The State of Israel is the strongest country in the region, and it will remain that way for two reasons: because we have no choice, and because of people like you, those who came before you and those who will come after you, who fulfill their role so gracefully and so well.“We have offensive systems that are active 24/7, 365 days a year, and are ready for action on any front, at any range, and in any dimension in which the IDF is called upon to act,” he said.A comprehensive assessment of the Iron Dome system appears in Friday’s Jerusalem Post Magazine.
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