International Christian Embassy Jerusalem, 20 July 2010

Even as fears of a regional war increase, Israel’s deterrence received a large boost on Tuesday with the announcement that the Iron Dome air defense system will be fully operational and deployed by November.

Yossi Drucker, director of Rafael's Iron Dome project, told Israel Radio that the system had exceeded the IDF’s requirements and would be on the ground protecting the Gaza border community of Sderote and other strategic installations around the country in increasing numbers after the Pentagon agreed to fund the production of further systems earlier this year.

"We will move toward operational deployment of the batteries in the field as soon as possible," promised Defense Minister Ehud Barak on Monday.

Deployment of the system, along with Israel’s already operational Arrow system for defense against heavier, long range missiles, has the potential to neutralize one of the biggest threats to Israel in the form of rockets fired at its cities, which Israel’s enemies have sought to exploit as a way of bypassing Israel’s superior conventional military.

Meanwhile, India is reported to be in talks with Israel to buy the new system, as well as an additional two Israeli Phalcon AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) systems in addition to the three already purchased by the Indian Air Force.

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