Illustrative image. Source: the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
Israel will not supply the Iron Dome air defense system or any other weapons to Ukraine because of concerns that they might end up in Iran’s possession, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal that was published on June 29..
“I think it’s important to understand that we are concerned also with the possibility that systems that we would give to Ukraine would fall into Iranian hands,” he said.
The Iron Dome was developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries mainly to intercept and destroy short-range rockets and shells. However, the system can also engage more traditional aerial targets, like fighter jets, helicopters, drones and cruise missiles.
The system has a maximum range of 70 kilometers. The system has been in service with the Israeli military since 2011. Since then, its effectiveness has been questioned on more than one occasion.
Netanyahu pointed out to The Wall Street that Israel is a densely populated country and so far, it has been avoiding major casualties because the Iron Dome system was shooting down 95% of the rockets and shells targeting Israel’s population centers.
“Now, if that system would fall in the hands of Iran, then millions of Israelis would be left defenseless and in peril,” he added.
Last week, Netanyahu told The Jerusalem Post newspaper that weapons supplied by the West to Ukraine have already surfaced near Israel’s border, without providing any details.
Ukraine has been asking Israel for the Iron Dome and other weapon systems since the start of the Russian special military operation last year. Despite facing pressure from Kiev’s main backer, the United State, Israel has so far limited its assistance to non-lethal equipment, like early warning, radar and electronic warfare systems.
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