Israel will not have its pioneering Iron Beam high-energy laser weapon system up and running ahead of schedule, despite the looming possibility of full-scale war breaking out across its northern border with Lebanon-based Hezbollah.Israel's Defense Ministry and industries are doing all they can to speed up the deployment of the Iron Beam, but the tail end of 2025 is still the earliest the first-of-its-kind air defense system will be fielded, Newsweek understands.
The systems have different ranges, intended to bat away a variety of threats from short-range Hamas-fired rockets to long-range Iranian ballistic missiles.'Generally, Israel's multilayered air defense system is a significant national asset and plays a crucial role against any threat, including those in the north,' the defense ministry spokesperson said.