Israel's Arrow Anti-Missile System Scores First Hit Against A Syrian Missile Fired At Israeli Fighter Jets During A Military Strike In Syria

An ''Arrow 3'' ballistic missile interceptor is seen during a 2015 test launch near Ashdod. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Reuters: Israel intercepts missile fired at its air force in Syria

The Israeli military said it shot down one of numerous anti-aircraft missiles launched on Friday at its air force which was operating in Syria, in a rare such incident that spilled over into neighboring countries.

The Syrian army said it had shot down an Israeli jet during the operation. Israel denied this, saying that all its aircraft had returned unscathed.

"At no point was the safety of Israeli civilians or the IAF (Israeli Air Force) aircraft compromised," an Israeli military spokesman said.

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More News On Israel's Arrow Anti-Missile System Scoring Its First Hit Against A Syrian Missile Fired At Israeli Fighter Jets During A Military Strike In Syria

Israel's Arrow anti-missile system scores first hit -- FOX News
IAF ‘Arrow’ battery intercepts Syrian missile, in first reported use of the system - Times of Israel
Israel intercepts missile fired at IAF jets by Syria -- YNet News
Syria threatens Israel following first operation of the Arrow Missile Defense System -- Jerusalem Online
Israel’s Arrow scores first operational hit — but against what? -- Defense News

Israel's New Anti-Ballistic Missile System Now Operational

An ''Arrow 3'' ballistic missile interceptor is seen during its test launch near Ashdod, Israel December 10, 2015. REUTERS/Amir Cohen

Reuters: Israel deploys 'Star Wars' missile killer system

Israel's upgraded ballistic missile shield became operational on Wednesday, in a "Star Wars"-like extension of its capabilities to outer space where incoming missiles can be safely destroyed.

The Defence Ministry said the U.S.-funded Arrow 3 system, jointly developed by state-owned Israel Aerospace Industries and U.S. firm Boeing Co. (BA.N), was handed over the Israeli Air Force.

The Arrow 3, together with the Arrow 2, which has been operational since 2000, would "significantly reduce the possibilities of ballistic missiles" hitting Israel, the ministry said in a statement.

The Arrow 2 is designed to intercept projectiles high and low within the atmosphere. Arrow 3 missiles will fly into space, where their warheads detach to become "kamikaze" satellites that track and slam into their targets.

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More News On Israel's New Anti-Ballistic Missile System Becoming Operational

Israel expands missile defense system with new interceptor -- AP
Israeli military unveils new ballistic missile interceptors -- AFP
Israel Air Force Receives First Arrow 3 Missile Defense Rockets -- Haaretz
'Arrow 3' missile defense system delivered to Air Force -- YNet News
Watch: Israel enters 'new era' of missile defense with Arrow-3 -- Jerusalem Post
Air force gets first Arrow 3 missile defense battery -- Times of Israel
Israel Enters 'New Era' With Arrow 3 Anti-Ballistic Missiles -- Sputnik

Inside An Israeli Missile Defense Team

Iron Dome missile defense system in Ashkelon, Israel. Photo: wiki commons.

Inside An Israeli Missile Defense Team -- Algemeiner

A chilling wintry wind blows over a water tower on the outskirts of coastal Ashkelon on the evening of Feb. 8, as a full moon rises to the east. A small group of IDF soldiers shivers on the flat concrete roof as they scan the darkening skies and wait.

On the first evening of a two-day drill, Home Front Command (HFC) spotter teams, geared and trained to identify incoming missile fire from a foe to the east—presumably Iran—are here to methodically practice their responses and to test their reaction time.

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My Comment: In short .... not an easy job.

U.S. Decreases Missile Funding To Israel

Photo: Arrow 3. IDF Photo

Obama Budget Decreases Missile Funding To Israel -- Washington Beacon

Missile system critical to protecting against Iranian threat.

For the second straight year, President Obama is seeking to decrease funding to joint U.S.-Israel missile defense programs.

Tucked within Obama’s 2013 budget proposal is a request to reduce the amount of money Israel receives for its critical missile defense systems by $6.3 million relative to the 2012 budget proposal. Among these defense systems are Arrow and David’s Sling, both of which are jointly operated with the U.S.

Publicly, the president has referred to himself as a stalwart champion of the U.S.-Israel military alliance. But administration efforts to reduce the amount of missile defense aid that Israel receives appear to be a growing trend in the president’s budget proposals.

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More News On U.S. Decreases In Missile Funding To Israel

Report: Obama Whittling Away Israel Missile Defense Aid -- Arutz Sheva
US to cut funding for Israeli missile defense programs by $6.3M -- Ynet News
U.S. to cut support for Israeli missile defense program by $6 million -- Haaretz
US cuts Israel missile aid -- Globes

My Comment: What is happening here is obvious. Washington cannot cut the program completely because the optics would look bad .... hence .... kill it through increments. But the program will still become operational this year.

Israel To Deploy Its Long-Range Missile Defense System

IDF Prepares To Deploy 'Magic Wand' -- Arutz Sheva

The IDF is in the final stages of laying the groundwork to deploy its long-range missile defense system in central Israel.

The IDF is in the final stages of laying the groundwork to deploy the "Magic Wand" missile defense system in central Israel.

The move to deploy the system comes on the heels of Israel's deployment of the Iron Dome missile defense system in the south, which has provided efficient, but limited protection from rockets fired by terrorists operating in Hamas-run Gaza into southern Israel.

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Update #1: Israel Readies New Missile Defense Tech -- Global Security Newswire
Update #2: IDF sets up Magic Wand Unit -- Ynet News

My Comment: Everyone in the Middle East is taking notice of this deployment .... especially Iran and Hezbollah.

IDF Preparing For US Missile Systems

Photo: The X-Band Radar. Photo: Courtesy

From The Jerusalem Post:

The Defense Ministry is preparing for the possibility that the United States will decide to leave missile defense systems in Israel following a joint missile defense exercise the two countries will hold next month, senior officials said Sunday.

While the US has yet to announce that it will leave systems in place here, the possibility is strong, one official said, particularly in light of reports that the Pentagon was conducting a review of its European missile shield and was leaning towards deploying the systems in Turkey.

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My Comment: The Israelis seem very sure of themselves. They must have been told either directly and/or through back channels, and are now making their positive comments known publicly.

This also fits into President Obama's intentions to deploy the missile defense system away from Europe to mollify the Russians. The Europeans are probably not happy about this, and are probably not going to trust this President in any security agreement in the future.