‘Iron Beam’ ready to destroy missiles and drones, says Israel’s Defense Ministry

Israel’s Defense Ministry announced on Wednesday that the laser defense system “Iron Beam” is now operational and that a full series of batteries will be deployed across the country to provide cutting-edge new air defense capabilities within the coming months, The Jerusalem Post writes.

The ministry said it had been testing the long-range laser weapon system in southern Israel for several weeks, which had proven its effectiveness in “full operational layout, intercepting missiles, mortar shells, and drones.”

As media outlets have noted, the high-powered laser system is significantly cheaper than Israel’s existing missile defense systems. The Jerusalem Post writes that the “Iron Beam” is “as cheap as turning on a light.”