 "A ship-mounted version of the Iron Dome missile defence system intercepted an apparent drone that entered Israeli airspace near the southernmost city of Eilat just before midnight on Monday. File image/Reuters")
In what marked the first-ever operational use of the system, Israel deployed its C-Dome defence system against a suspicious aerial target near Eilat, the military said Tuesday. The C-Dome is a naval version of the Iron Dome air defence system used to shield against rocket and missile attacks.
It is mounted on Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, German-made warships, and uses the same interceptor as the Iron Dome. While the land-based Iron Dome has been frequently used to intercept rockets fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip, the C-Dome serves as a naval defence system to shield against rocket and missile attacks at sea.
Here’s a look at why Israel deployed the C-Dome.
What happened?
On Monday evening, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) reported an alert in the area of Eilat, which was targeted in February by intercepted ballistic missile fire from Yemen’s Houthi rebels , allies of Palestinian militants Hamas.
“Following the sirens that sounded in the area of Eilat regarding the infiltration of a hostile aircraft, IDF Naval forces identified a suspicious aerial target crossing into Israeli territory,” the IDF said in a statement released early Tuesday. “The target was successfully intercepted by the ‘C-Dome’ naval defence system.”
The IDF stated that the navy tracked the target before successfully shooting it down with the C-Dome system, which was its first operational use.
According to the IDF, the suspected drone entered Israeli airspace from the eastern direction. There were no reports of damage or injuries in the incident.
An IDF spokesperson would not confirm whether the “suspicious” target had been a drone but told AFP this was “the first operational use of C-Dome”.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsMounted on Sa’ar 6-class corvettes, German-made warships, the C-Dome uses the same interceptor as the Iron Dome, according to state-owned operator Rafael Advanced Defence Systems.
The land-based Iron Dome has been used countless times to intercept rockets fired from the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip . That defence system costs roughly $50,000 (Rs 41.61 lakh) per launch.
Have there been attacks on Eilat?
Beachgoers in Eilat captured footage of the interception over the southern city, which has been targeted several times during the Gaza Strip conflict. Social media clips showed two interceptor missiles being launched from the Sa’ar 6-class corvette, according to The Times of Israel.
Iran-backed groups, including Yemen’s Houthis, the Islamic Resistance of Iraq, and a Syrian group linked to Lebanon’s Hezbollah , have repeatedly attacked Eilat since 7 October.
In November, a drone launched from Syria struck a school in Eilat; in March, a cruise missile fired from Yemen struck an open area north of the city; earlier this month, a drone launched from Iraq struck a Navy hangar in Eilat Bay; and this month, a drone struck an open area in Jordan near southern Israel’s Ramon airport, the report added.
What we know about C-Dome
C-Dome has three components: TAMIR interceptors, a modular Vertical-Launch Unit (VLU), and a Command & Control (C2) component. The use of the vessel’s surveillance radar to detect and track threats eliminates the need for a dedicated radar.
According to the website of an Israeli defence company Rafael Advanced Defence Systems, it is a highly advanced warhead that ensures high kill probability against a wide range of targets. The interceptor of the C-Dome is extremely agile and has a high rate-of-turn enabling intercepting of even the most manoeuvrable targets.
Its state-of-the-art proximity fuse maximises lethality and its powerful warhead ensures target destruction.
With inputs from AFP