The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) announced Saturday a long-range rocket fired by Hamas terrorists at the southern city of Eilat was intercepted by the Arrow air defense system, a new anti-missile system designed to be more effective against long-range, high-altitude threats than the venerable U.S.-made Patriot system.
The IDF reported Arrow’s first interception of the Hamas war on Thursday. In that instance, a ballistic missile believed to have been launched by the Iran-backed Houthi insurgents of Yemen was intercepted over the Red Sea. On the same day, an Israeli F-35 fighter shot down a cruise missile that was targeting the city, also apparently launched from Yemen.
Saturday’s interception occurred over the Negev desert. The IDF said the inbound weapon was launched from the Gaza Strip.
