The Wall Street Journal
Israel’s experimental air-defense system known as the Iron Beam uses laser technology to strike down drones and rockets, but military analysts say the device needs U.S. support to improve its performance. WSJ explains how it works.
TEL AVIV—Israel said it used a laser air-defense system to shoot down drones in wartime, deploying weapons that would mark a technological leap on the battlefield.
Israel’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it has intercepted drones with laser-powered weapons more than 40 times since its multifront war began after Hamas attacked from Gaza in October 2023. Most of the drones the lasers destroyed came from Lebanon, said Daniel Gold, head of the ministry’s directorate of defense research and development.