Arrow, David's Sling and Iron Dome: How Israel countered an Iranian drone salvo

Iran launched armed drones and missiles against Israel, marking a new and more volatile phase of the Middle East conflict. The attack, in retaliation for a strike in Syria that killed top Iranian military officers, was the first time Iran has struck Israel from its soil.

Early signs suggest Israel’s vaunted air defenses passed their biggest test yet, repelling an unprecedented barrage of drones from Iran.
Israel and its allies intercepted the “vast majority” of the 200 drones and missiles fired by Iran, most before they entered Israeli airspace, military spokesman Daniel Hagari said in a briefing. 

He said the only impacts were to a 10-year-old girl who was badly wounded and minor damage to an army base.

The attack drones and cruise missiles “are likely part of a coordinated multi-phase response in an attempt to overwhelm and confuse Israeli air defenses,” said Michael DiMino, a former CIA analyst and current fellow at Defense Priorities. 

Iranian state media said the country had also fired ballistic missiles, which may be far more powerful and fly in a high arc before hitting their targets.

Israel’s US-backed system of interconnected radar and mobile missile batteries is designed to shoot down rockets, missiles and mortars that could hit Israeli population centers or important infrastructure. It has been lauded for reaching a 90% interception rate in past attacks.

Here's a closer look at Israel's multilayered air-defense system:

The Arrow: This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles, including the types of ballistic missiles Iran said it launched on Saturday. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used in the current war to intercept long-range missiles launched by Houthi militants in Yemen.

David's Sling: Also developed with the U.S., the David's Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Hezbollah in Lebanon.

Patriot: This American-made system is the oldest member of Israel's missile-defense system  used during the First Gulf War in 1991 to intercept Scud missiles fired by Iraq's leader at the time, Saddam Hussein. The Patriot is now used to shoot down aircraft, including drones.

Iron Dome: This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade including thousands of interceptions during the current war against Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%.

Iron Beam: Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats with laser technology. Israel has said this system will be a game changer because it is much cheaper to operate than existing systems. However, it is not yet operational.