the IDF has no plans to fund multiple Iron Dome batteries. Ha’aretz
estimates that each intercept missile could cost approximately $40,000
and each Iron Dome battery $500,000, while
Hamas’ Qassam rockets cost roughly $150 each to produce. If you shoot a large volley of rockets at it all at once,
On Saturday, the terror groups attempted to break through the intercept
system's defenses by firing a particularly large volley of rockets at
Be'er Sheva, where one of the batteries is deployed... ...After the
Palestinian launch teams realized that the intercept systems deployed
in the past two weeks around Ashkelon and Be'er Sheva provided
near-perfect protection from rockets, they began targeting Ashdod and
Ofakim more frequently. And when they did aim at Be'er Sheva on Saturday
night, they did not fire one or two rockets, as in the past, but
rather a volley of seven rockets almost simultaneously. Iron Dome
intercepted five of them successfully, but one penetrated the defense
system, exploding in a residential area and killing Yossi Shushan. And
wounding eight other people and doing lots of
property damage. Seven rockets cost Hamas $1,050 ($150 each). The six
that Iron Dome shoots down cost $600,000 to shoot down ($50,000 per
interceptor, two interceptors per rocket). The one got through cost one
dead Israeli, eight wounded Israelis, and several hundred thousand
dollars in property damage.
Iron Dome is
overrated, cannot protect Ben Gurion Airport from a 'Palestinian state'. Iron Dome would be very sustainable if Israel took over Gaza again. It is a safety. It is no economic factor in Israel's favor. It provides greater security... but economic security from a barrage of missiles would only come by direct control of Gaza.
