Ellie Cook
Israel will not have its pioneering Iron Beam high-energy laser weapon system up and running ahead of schedule, despite the looming possibility of full-scale war breaking out across its northern border with Lebanon-based Hezbollah.
Israel's Defense Ministry and industries are doing all they can to speed up the deployment of the Iron Beam, but the tail end of 2025 is still the earliest the first-of-its-kind air defense system will be fielded, Newsweek understands. This timeline has long been in place.
Gideon Weiss, the head of international marketing and business development for Israel's state-owned Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, said there had been no changes to the timeline since October, with the Iron Beam still expected to be operational from the end of next year.
Israel, now nearly nine months into all-out war in Gaza following Palestinian militant group Hamas' unprecedented attacks on Israel on October 7, is also contending with Hezbollah pressing from southern Lebanon into Israel's northern towns and villages. The Tehran-backed group has said it is firing drones, rockets and missiles into northern Israel in solidarity with Hamas after Israel vowed to eradicate the group from the Gaza Strip.
Iran's mission to the United Nations has promised an "obliterating war," should any Israeli operation into Lebanon get underway.
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