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 1999-2025 Worthy News. This article was originally published on Worthy News and was reproduced with permission.
Latest News from Worthy News
A North Carolina church is rallying to protect nearly two dozen Afghan Christian refugees from deportation after the Trump administration announced the end of Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghanistan, effective July 14.
Ukraine was rapidly losing more territory Sunday with Ukrainian and Russian officials confirming that Russia’s military had reached the outskirts of Dnipropetrovsk Oblast in their first approach to the Ukrainian province since the war began in February 2022.
Authorities say at least three people have been killed and a further 22 injured, including a one-month-old baby, after a massive nighttime Russian attack involving drones, missiles, and guided bombs, which hit the city of Kharkiv and other targets. Amid the attacks, Moscow said Ukraine has postponed a large-scale prisoner swap and the repatriation of the bodies of dead soldiers they had agreed on during peace talks in Istanbul, Turkey.
Scores of tourists in Indonesia’s province of Bali are happy to be alive after their boat sank in the waters of Mushroom Bay.
President Donald Trump on Friday issued a sharp warning to Tehran, declaring that Iran “will not be allowed” to enrich uranium, even at low levels, intensifying fears that the fragile negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program may collapse — potentially triggering military conflict.
President Donald Trump confirmed Saturday that Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed to resume exports of rare earth minerals to the United States, a critical step forward as trade delegations from both nations prepare to meet in London next week.
The United Kingdom and France have decided not to recognize a Palestinian state at an upcoming international conference in New York, despite earlier indications that both countries were moving in that direction, according to diplomats cited in The Guardian and Middle East Eye.