What is Israel's Iron Dome air defence system - and how is it 'almost 99%' effective?

Highly prized within Israel, the Iron Dome air defence system has been active once again as Iran launched a wave of drones and missiles overnight.

One of the most effective in the world, the Iron Dome system is multi-layered and is credited with saving thousands of Israeli citizens over the past couple of years.

It began operating in 2011, largely in response to the 2006 war that ended with Hamas taking control of Gaza the following year.

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It uses radars to detect and intercept short-range rockets, missiles and drones.

Mobile launchers and 'battle management centres'

The Iron Dome was developed by Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defence Systems with US support, and is largely funded by America.

The system consists of a series of truck-towed mobile units placed strategically throughout the country.

When their radars detect a threat, the information is sent to a "battle management centre" where military personnel analyse it, anticipating its path and impact point, and decide which missile launcher to use to intercept it.

Counter missiles are then fired directly at the threat - or near it - so the shrapnel can neutralise it.

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The dome, known as Kippat Barzel in Hebrew, reacts within a matter of seconds and is manned 24 hours a day.

Originally, it was designed to protect cities and strategic sites against missiles with a range of 2.5 to 43 miles, but it is thought to have been expanded.

Almost 99% effective

According to the manufacturer, it has been nearly 99% effective against missiles from Hamas and Hezbollah, and has knocked out most missiles from Iran.

Speaking in May, defence company Rafael's chairman Yuval Steinitz said that since the 7 October attacks in 2023, Hamas and Hezbollah have between them fired some 40,000 rockets at Israel.

"Iron Dome intercepted most of them with success rates that (are) not 100% but close to 100%. It's around 98%, even 99%, so it's not perfect, but almost," Steinitz said.

Iran, he said, has fired about 1,500 ballistic missiles at Israel since 2024 (this was before the latest attacks).

These are harder to shoot down because they travel at extreme speeds and re-enter from space.

Nonetheless, Steinitz said "only several dozens" of these Iranian missiles were not intercepted.

Credited with saving thousands of Israeli lives

Steinitz argued that without the Iron Dome, Israel's economy would be "totally paralysed" as people would not go to work and schools would be closed, while military bases would also find it difficult to function.

"We would (also) have bloodshed in all our major cities... several thousands of Israeli civilians would be killed," he said.

Although extremely effective, the Iron Dome is not perfect.

The dome has a saturation point at which it would become overwhelmed, but this level is unknown.

When fighting between Hamas and Israel broke out on 7 October 2023, 3,000 rockets were fired from Gaza at once.

Israel also has medium and long-range defence systems, known as David's Sling, Patriot and Arrow.

It has also developed the Iron Beam laser weapon, designed to be a cheaper way to shoot down drones, which has been integrated into its defence system.

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