Jerusalem: In a historic first, Israel’s military has successfully deployed its C-Dome naval defense system, intercepting a suspicious target in the airspace above the southern city of Eilat. This marks the inaugural operational use of the maritime counterpart to the renowned Iron Dome air defense system, which has been instrumental in protecting against rocket and missile attacks.
The incident occurred on Monday evening when the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) detected an alert in the vicinity of Eilat. Previously, this region had been the focus of an attempted attack in February, when ballistic missile fire from Yemen’s Houthi rebels, who are aligned with Palestinian militants Hamas, was intercepted.
Responding to the activation of sirens signaling the breach of a hostile aircraft, IDF Naval forces swiftly identified and engaged the aerial threat as it traversed into Israeli territory. The C-Dome system, mounted on the advanced Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, executed a successful interception, neutralizing the potential danger without causing any injuries or damage.
While an IDF spokesperson refrained from specifying the nature of the target, which remains undisclosed, they did confirm to AFP that this event represented the C-Dome’s first operational engagement. The C-Dome shares its interceptor technology with the Iron Dome, both developed by the state-owned Rafael Advanced Defence Systems. The Iron Dome has been frequently activated to counteract rocket fire originating from the Hamas-governed Gaza Strip.
The C-Dome’s successful deployment underscores Israel’s continued commitment to national security and technological advancement in defense capabilities. This proactive measure enhances the protection of its territorial integrity, particularly in regions susceptible to aerial threats.
