This article analyzes Israel’s missile defense performance during Iran’s 2024 ballistic missile attacks and evaluates its broader strategic implications. While Israel intercepted approximately 80–85% of incoming missiles using layered defense systems, this success was enabled by favorable conditions: small target area, conventional warheads, and missiles lacking countermeasures. The authors argue that these results cannot be generalized to defend against long-range, nuclear-armed missiles, which pose vastly different challenges. They conclude that the proposed “Golden Dome” for the United States is technically unfeasible and strategically misguided.
School Authors: Steve Fetter
Other Authors: David Wright