by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Correspondent
(Worthy News) – Israel’s Iron Beam laser defense system, set to be operational in roughly nine months, intercepts rockets, drones, and mortars within seconds at a range of up to 7 km using a high-energy fiber laser, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz announced Sunday.
During a tour of Rafael’s Leshem Institute in Rakefet in the lower Galilee region, Katz warned Israel’s enemies sternly, emphasizing the nation’s expanding military capabilities.
“Our enemies should understand clearly: We possess multiple means to deliver a decisive strike. If they challenge Israel again, their hand will be severed,” Katz stated.
Developed by Rafael, Iron Beam intercepts rockets and drones with laser technology at just $2–$5 per shot, offering a far cheaper alternative to traditional missile interceptors costing $100,000–$150,000.
Despite its low per-shot cost of $2–$5, deploying and maintaining Iron Beam, the overall costs reach around $2,000 per interception.
“The laser system represents the weapon of the future, capable of neutralizing entire categories of threats with exceptional and continually improving results,” Katz explained. “Israeli citizens deserve this protection.”
The announcement strengthens Israel’s multi-layered air defense amid regional security challenges.
The U.S. funded $1.2 billion for the Iron Beam under the Israel Security Supplemental Appropriations Act, signed by President Biden in 2024.
Copyright 1999-2026 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
More Worthy News
Reverend Jesse Jackson, the influential civil rights campaigner and former presidential hopeful described by his family as “a servant leader,” has died at age 84.
Senate Republicans say they have enough support within their 53-member conference to pass the SAVE America Act, but overcoming a Democratic blockade may require reviving the rarely used “talking filibuster.”
The U.S. Departments of Energy and Defense have transported a small nuclear reactor by military cargo aircraft for the first time, marking a significant milestone in President Donald Trump’s push to expand advanced nuclear energy across the country.
President Donald Trump on Monday directed federal authorities to step in and coordinate cleanup efforts following what he called a “massive ecological disaster” in the Potomac River after a major sewer line collapse in Maryland.
A large Second Temple–era stone workshop that supplied Jerusalem’s Jewish population some 2,000 years ago has been uncovered on the eastern slopes of Mount Scopus, the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA) announced Monday.
The United States has moved to replenish its stockpile of GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator (MOP) bunker-buster bombs, it was revealed this week, as tensions with Tehran remain elevated.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared Sunday that Israel will not accept any arrangement allowing Hamas to retain weapons, warning that the terror group must fully disarm or face a renewed Israeli military campaign in Gaza.