Israel trials new Arrow Weapon System after clashing with Iran in Syria

Israel this week trialled its Arrow-3 anti-ballistic missile system in what it described as a “scheduled” test.

The test, on Tuesday from the Palmachim base in central Israel, came just a day after Israel and Iran clashed in Syria. Iran fired a medium-range missile toward the Golan Heights on Sunday and Israel retaliated with a series of pre-dawn airstrikes against Iranian and Syrian military targets throughout the country, killing an estimated 12 members of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.

“Once the target was launched, Arrow Weapon System radars detected it and transferred the data to the battle management control, which then established a defence plan,” the Israeli Defence Ministry said.

“At the right moment, the Arrow-3 interceptor was launched toward the target and successfully completed its mission.”

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “Let our enemies who seek to destroy us know that Israel’s crushing fist will reach all those who seek our harm, and we will hold them accountable.”

He was speaking on Tuesday during a visit to the Israel Aerospace Industries division that manufactures and develops the Arrow system.

Netanyahu’s comments came a day after the head of Iran’s Air Force, Brigadier-General Aziz Nasirzadeh, said that Iran’s armed forces “are prepared for a war that will bring the crushing destruction of Israel. We are ready for the day when we will see the end of Israel”.