The two batteries of Iron Dome tactical missile defense systems that the US has bought from Israel in recent years are back in Israel and are integrated into the national missile defense array, which includes many Iron Dome batteries deployed all over the country, ready to withstand attacks from Hizbullah, as well.
Moreover, the batteries of American “Patriot” anti-aircraft missile systems are also deployed all over the country (we should note that these are modern models, not the ones that were used during the Gulf War 30 years ago and, so to speak, did not succeed at all).
We are talking about much more advanced surface-to-air missile systems, which were successfully tested by the Americans in the Second Iraq War. These systems have also performed well in Saudi Arabia, intercepting the vast majority of missiles launched by the Houthis. In fact, according to some quite credible publications, the Saudis, using the Patriot SAMs, also shot down rockets that were launched from Yemen towards Israel.
Anyway, in Israel, Patriot SAMs are mainly used to fight enemy airplanes, helicopters or drones, since Israel has much better native systems developed by itself against missiles.
We are talking not only about the “Iron Dome”, but also:
“The Hetz-2 (Arrow 2) is the Israeli anti-missile system that was able to shoot down a ballistic missile launched from Yemen last week. Additionally, it seems to have shot down the Ayash 250 medium-range missile launched yesterday from the Gaza Strip towards settlements in the southern Arava desert north of Eilat.
“Hetz-3” (“Arrow-3”) is another Israeli anti-missile system capable of shooting down missiles outside the atmosphere, at a considerable range of up to 500 kilometers and at an altitude of hundreds of kilometers — i.e. far from Israel’s borders. This system is designed to counter threats from Iran or Iraq.
“Magic Wand” (aka “David’s Sling”) is a unique Israeli system with exceptional capabilities to shoot down precision ballistic missiles, common cruise missiles and guided missiles.
This huge anti-missile arsenal is already fully deployed. It is backed by dozens of radar systems (at sea, in the air and on land), as well as electronic and cyber warfare means designed to counter strike aircraft.
Additionally, Israel is strongly supported in this area by U.S. warships, both in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea. This includes the co-mapping of radar threats as well as the interception of various types of offensive systems.
At the very beginning of the war, apparently, it was an American ship that managed to shoot down the entire mass of threats launched from Yemen towards Israel (15 drones and an additional four missiles).
There is also a large American radar that is permanently stationed in the Negev desert and has a range of thousands of kilometers.
The Defense Ministry has also announced the deployment of an experimental laser system, but it should be understood that at the moment we are talking about only one installation. In other words, its effectiveness is quite limited compared to other missile defense systems that include multiple batteries.
All of the aforementioned, from our point of view, is certainly an obvious grace of the Almighty, manifested in His miracles, what we call “miracles wrapped up in the natural course of things”!
It is these miracles that allow us all to maintain a more or less regular way of life, including work, study, etc., even in the “state of emergency”.
We call it divine protection and providence “wrapped up” in the “natural course of things” — to benefit the people of Israel. And the best proof of this are the situations where the defense systems fail, but we witness miraculous rescues from rockets and the number of casualties is still not so great.
We believe that the interception of a massive missile attack from Yemen by an American ship was a visible providence of the Almighty. Note that the ship entered the positions which gave it the opportunity to intercept just a few hours before the bombardment....
For us, this is a clear indication of the extent to which everything that happens is subject to the will of Heaven, and also a reminder that we face G-d’s protection, only wrapped “in the garments of nature.”
The Hasidic teachings explain that “a miracle wrapped in the garments of nature” has a much deeper spiritual source than a supernatural miracle, since the power to unite the miracle and the natural course of things can only come from the Holy one Himself, blessed be He. Only He is capable of uniting the two opposites, “miracle” and “nature,” causing them to become one reality at the same moment.
“Let us give thanks to the Almighty, for His mercy is Everlasting!”