During the 12-day Operation Rising Lion against Iran, Israel’s integrated missile defense network — Arrow, David’s Sling, and Iron Dome — successfully intercepted barrage after barrage of incoming threats, preventing over $15 billion in property damage and saving countless lives, the Israeli Ministry of Defense revealed this week.

Brig. Gen. (res.) Daniel Gold, director of the Israeli Defense Ministry’s R&D division, described the systems as “instrumental,” citing a remarkable 86% success rate against ballistic missiles launched from Iran, and 99% interception of UAV threats, including drone swarms.

This multi-tiered defense architecture, recently upgraded prior to the conflict, demonstrated its strength at every layer:

• The Arrow system (now up to Arrow 3, soon Arrow 4) tackled high-altitude, long-range ballistic missiles.
• David’s Sling intercepted medium- to long-range threats.
• Iron Dome handled short-range volleys and drone attacks.

The impact was profound: Israeli cities were spared devastating damage that could have reached seven times higher than the actual losses sustained.

These defenses were complemented by support from the US military—deploying Patriot batteries, THAAD systems, and naval assets in the region—as well as allied collaboration with the UK, Jordan, and France also intercepting Iranian missiles and drones.

The success of the operation is not just military, but also economic. Shielding civilian infrastructure from ruin protects homes, hospitals, schools, and factories—ensuring Israel’s ability to bounce back post-conflict, officials stressed.

Israel’s layered missile shield more than ever stands as a global model of strategic deterrence and civil-defense readiness.

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