David’s Sling defense system passes final test
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Israel’s David’s Sling missile defense system passed its final test and will become operational in 2016, the Defense Ministry announced Monday.
David’s Sling is designed to intercept medium- to long-range rockets and cruise missiles fired from ranges of 40 kilometers (25 miles) to 300 kilometers (186 miles).
The advanced interceptor is part of Israel’s four-tiered air defense, which also includes the Iron Dome system, which intercepts and destroys short-range rockets and artillery shells, the Arrow 2 short- and medium-range ballistic missile interceptor, and the Arrow 3 long-range missile defense system, which is now entering the last leg of its development.
The Defense Ministry said the last series of trials tested David’s Sling’s ability to intercept a wide range of threats. In the tests, the system detected, intercepted and destroyed several types of projectiles. While the number of missiles was not disclosed, a defense source said the system recognized various clusters, including missiles carrying warheads that could potentially carry hundreds of pounds of explosives.
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Tensions mount in northern Israel in wake of Samir Kuntar killing
(Israel Hayom/Exclusive to JNS.org) Three rockets were fired at Israel from southern Lebanon on Sunday, a day after notorious Hezbollah terrorist Samir Kuntar was killed in an airstrike near Damascus. The strike has been attributed to Israel by foreign media as well as by Hezbollah, which vowed to avenge the killing, but Israeli officials have neither confirmed nor denied the reports.
The Israel Defense Forces responded to Sunday’s rocket attacks with targeted artillery fire, Israeli officials said.
Residents of northern Israeli towns were not surprised to hear sirens wailing throughout their communities Sunday, as they had been bracing for retaliatory Hezbollah fire since news of Kuntar’s assassination broke.
The military said it “holds the Lebanese Army solely responsible for attacks emanating from its territory, and will continue to take action against any attempt to undermine the sovereignty of the State of Israel or compromise the safety of its citizens.”
Lebanese security officials said the rockets were fired from an area south of the Lebanese port city of Tyre.
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Iran’s military chief slams proposal to dump position of supreme leader
(JNS.org) The head of Iran’s military dismissed a suggestion by a former president that the Islamic Republic would eliminate the position of supreme leader.
Hashemi Rafsanjani, a former president and an influential member of the Assembly of Experts (a group of Islamic theologians charged with electing the supreme leader), recently suggested that Iran could choose a council of leaders instead of a single supreme leader who rules for life, Reuters reported.
“We never had council of leaders in history or a council that commands the army….If the leadership becomes a council the country would suffer. And our strong unity against America, Zionists, and imperial enemies would collapse,” said Hassan Firouzabadi, chief of staff of Iran’s military, the Fars News Agency reported.
Iran is set to hold elections for the Assembly of Experts in February. Rafsanjani and Iranian President Hassan Rouhani have sought to capitalize on their popularity from the nuclear agreement with world powers by winning a majority in the assembly.
It is widely believed that the next assembly will choose a successor to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who is 76.
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Israel uncovers improvised explosive devices along Gaza border
(JNS.org) Israel on Friday uncovered a number of improvised explosive devices (IEDs) along its border with Gaza, foiling a possible devastating terror attack.
Israel Defense Forces engineers uncovered the unexploded IEDs, with some devices connected to remote-controlled timers set to be activated by a cell phone, Yedioth Ahronoth reported. Earlier this week, a similar IED detonated near IDF troops.
The IDF and Shin Bet security forces are conducting an investigation into the uncovered IEDs and believe that terrorists had planned a large-scale attack against Israeli soldiers along the Gaza border.
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