Israel successfully tests new laser missile defense system

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israel’s new laser missile-defense system has successfully intercepted mortars, rockets and anti-tank missiles in recent tests, Israeli leaders said Thursday.

The Israeli-made laser system, known as the “Iron Beam,” is designed to complement a series of aerial defense systems, including the more costly rocket-intercepting Iron Dome.

“This may sound like science-fiction, but it’s real,” said Prime Minister Naftali Bennett. “The Iron Beam’s interceptions are silent, they’re invisible and they only cost around $3.50″ apiece, he added.

Little is known about the laser system’s effectiveness, but it is expected to be deployed on land, in the air and at sea. The goal is to deploy the laser systems around Israel’s borders over the next decade to protect the country against attacks.

Thursday’s announcement also sent a message to Israel’s foes, including archenemy Iran. The tests took place last month in the Negev Desert.

The announcement came near the anniversary of the 11-day Israel-Gaza war, in which Gaza’s ruling Hamas militant group fired more than 4,000 rockets toward Israel.

Israel said its Iron Dome defense system has been a great success, with a 90% interception rate against incoming rocket fire. But officials say the system is expensive to deploy. Bennett has said someone in Gaza can fire a rocket toward Israel for a few hundred dollars, but it costs tens of thousands of dollars for the Iron Dome to intercept it.

The Defense Ministry released a short video showing what it said were the new system’s successful interceptions of rockets, mortars and an unmanned aerial vehicle. The video, which was highly edited and set to music, appeared to show a laser beam coming out of a ground station, hitting the targets and smashing them into small pieces.

Bennett said in February that Israel would begin using the system within a year.

Israel has already developed or deployed a series of systems meant to intercept everything from long-range missiles to rockets launched from just a few kilometers (miles) away. It has also outfitted its tanks with a missile-defense system.

Talks on restoring Iran’s tattered nuclear deal with world powers have stalled. Israel opposes the deal, saying it does not do enough to curb Iran’s nuclear program or its military activities across the region, and Israeli officials have said they will unilaterally do what’s necessary to protect the country.

以色列特拉维夫——以色列领导人周四表示，以色列新型激光导弹防御系统在最近的测试中成功拦截了迫击炮弹、火箭弹和反坦克导弹。

以色列制造的激光系统被称为“铁束”，旨在与一系列空中防御系统（包括更昂贵的火箭拦截系统“铁穹”）配合使用。

“这听起来像科幻小说，但却是真的，”总理纳夫塔利·贝内特说。“铁光束的拦截是无声的，隐形的，而且每次只需大约3.5美元，”他补充道。

人们对这套激光系统的效能知之甚少，但预计将在陆地、空中和海上部署。目标是在未来十年内在以色列边境周围部署这套激光系统，以保护国家免受袭击。

周四的声明也向以色列的敌人，包括宿敌伊朗，发出了警告。这些试验上个月在内盖夫沙漠进行。

该声明发布之际，正值以色列与加沙之间持续 11 天的战争周年纪念日附近。在那场战争中，加沙执政的哈马斯武装组织向以色列发射了 4000 多枚火箭弹。

以色列方面称其“铁穹”防御系统取得了巨大成功，对来袭火箭弹的拦截率高达90%。但官员们表示，该系统的部署成本十分高昂。贝内特曾表示，加沙地带的任何人只需花费几百美元就能向以色列发射一枚火箭弹，但“铁穹”系统拦截这枚火箭弹却需要花费数万美元。

国防部发布了一段短视频，展示了据称是新系统成功拦截火箭弹、迫击炮弹和无人机的画面。这段经过大量剪辑并配以音乐的视频显示，一束激光从地面站射出，击中目标并将其炸成碎片。

贝内特在二月份表示，以色列将在一年内开始使用该系统。

以色列已经研发或部署了一系列系统，旨在拦截从远程导弹到几公里（英里）外发射的火箭弹等各种攻击。它还为其坦克配备了导弹防御系统。

关于恢复伊朗与世界大国之间已破裂的核协议的谈判陷入僵局。以色列反对该协议，称其不足以遏制伊朗的核计划及其在该地区的军事活动。以色列官员表示，他们将单方面采取一切必要措施来保护国家安全。