Iron Dome Gaza Rocket Shootdowns Cost Israel $25-$30 Million
Iron Dome Gaza Rocket Shootdowns Cost Israel $25-$30 Million.
Iron Dome Gaza Rocket Shootdowns Cost Israel $25-$30 Million.
Reuters | Posted: 11/22/2012 6:21 am EST Updated: 11/22/2012 8:44 am EST
By Dan Williams
JERUSALEM, Nov 22 (Reuters) – Israel’s Iron Dome interceptions of Palestinian rockets during eight days of Gaza fighting cost $25 million to $30 million, the government said on Thursday, arguing the U.S.-backed system was well worth the money.
“Were Iron Dome traded on the (Tel Aviv) stock exchange or Nasdaq, it would have multiplied its share value several times over,” Civil Defence Minister Avi Dichter told Israel Radio in an interview where he outlined the system’s outlay.
Using radar-guided interceptor missiles, Israel’s five truck-towed Iron Dome batteries shot down 421 of some 1,500 rockets launched from the Gaza Strip between Nov. 14 and Wednesday’s Egyptian-brokered truce, the military said.
It put Iron Dome’s success rate at 90 percent. To lower costs, the system engages only rockets that threaten populated areas, though it often fires two interceptor missiles at once.
Rockets killed 5 people in Israel and wounded dozens during the conflict, police said. Three died in coastal Ashdod on a day when Rafael Advanced Defence Systems Ltd, Iron Dome’s state-owned manufacturer, said the system had suffered a malfunction.
If more Hamas rockets had got through, especially the handful fired at the commercial hub Tel Aviv, and caused mass casualties, devastating Israeli retaliation perhaps including a full-scale ground assault would have been nearly certain.
A senior official estimated that such escalation could cost Israel as much as $380 million a day. Keen to stem that risk, the United States has been helping bankroll Iron Dome. President Barack Obama pledged further support on Wednesday.
Israel says it needs 13 batteries for satisfactory nationwide defence. A defence industry source put the unit cost for Israel at around $50 million.
The focus of Israel’s aerial assault on Gaza were the stockpiles and launch silos of rockets imported or improvised by Hamas and other factions. Gaza medical officials said 162 Palestinians were killed, more than half of them civilians.
The most potent of those rockets were Iranian-designed Fajr-5s with 75 km (46 mile) ranges and 175 kg (385 lb) warheads, though Hamas also said it used a Gaza-made variant, “Qassam M-75”.
Iran denies supplying arms to the Palestinians. But the Iranian Young Journalists Club website on Wednesday quoted the commander of the Islamic republic’s Revolutionary Guards, Mohammad Ali Jafari, saying the corps had “put the technology of Fajr-5 missiles at their (Gazans’) disposal and right now a good number of these have been made and are available to them”.
Summarising the Gaza assault in a separate Israel Radio interview, Defence Minister Ehud Barak said: “Hamas’s heavy rockets were destroyed (and) a large part of the mid-range rockets were destroyed.”
Explore posts in the same categories: Uncategorized
WarSclerotic 
November 23, 2012 at 8:02 AM
Did you see the appalling news on what the Vatican said? I am outraged! http://lynleahz.com/2012/11/23/7418/
November 23, 2012 at 8:11 AM
Lyn…
Nobody ever accused the Catholic church of being anything other than antisemitic.
November 23, 2012 at 8:18 AM
Well said!
November 23, 2012 at 1:54 PM
dont get started on Christians there no different to Muslims,nearly all the wars raging in there world there involved in,again there slightly less extreme than the Islamo fascists “the catholic church”, AGAIN THERE GOAL ENSLAVE THE WORLD AND FORCE IT TO BELIEVE IN THERE RELIGION ,THERE IS NOT MUCH BETWEEN THE TWO
November 23, 2012 at 8:19 AM
Many of their practices are very pagan too! Blessings to you!
November 23, 2012 at 7:14 PM
None of there practices are pagan the Pagan religion is totally peaceful,the reality is the Christians forced the pagans to worship there god by extreme violence and ethnic cleansing,that is only on par with the islamo fascists,and the pagans are still persecuted,
November 23, 2012 at 9:14 PM
The fact is, if you don’t honor God and obey Him and if you do not know Jesus Christ as your Savior…You’re going to hell! True Christians don’t do anything but try and speak the truth..and if you reject it, then we shake the dust from our feet and move on..just as I’m doing from this conversation. There are many who call themselves Christian but are not..so don’t judge all Christians. That’s a bunch of garbage!
I do my part, as I’m expected..it’s between you and God from there. Paganism is a cult and it’s witchcraft. If you don’t worship YHVH, then you worship Satan. if you worship Satan, you’ll spend eternity with Satan in his personal heaven..which is hell. God does not send people to hell… He tries to keep you from going there..but all of the loud mouthed flaming liberals are so busy rambling on half the time, they won’t hear jack until they’re kneeling before God..except at that point, it’ll be too late. Blessings! You can reply to me on this if you like..but I probably won’t read it or respond back.. see ya! Peace!
November 23, 2012 at 10:27 PM
That contradicts your own logic,the Christians dont have a monopoly on God,what about the jews,an i am not a pagan,religion is to free your soul not enslave it
November 23, 2012 at 8:29 AM
I am just disgusted that everyone seems to be blaming Israel. I am in the U.S. And what I saw was Hamas attacking them. Israel was more patient than they even had to be or should’ve been.. warning them to stop, or else. They wouldn’t stop. So Israel had to do what anyone else would’ve done. In fact, most nations would not have been quite as kind as they were. What the heck? So where is everyone getting off blaming Israel? They’re just supposed to sit there and let everyone fire at them and do nothing? Right! I don’t know where people’s heads are at, to be honest. Most Americans support Israel..but not enough. The percentage was only in the upper 50’s. That’s a bunch of crap. Back in the 80’s, the number would’ve been higher.. Now, America is becoming nothing but a liberal godless nation… Israel has always been our friend… and the leader we have now has no respect or care for Israel, and we who do must suffer along with the rest because we are under their ruling. Very sad indeed. I see war on the horizon among all of the nations, and hard times ahead globally.
November 23, 2012 at 6:26 PM
Justice, you are wrong about Christians.
I am hardly a religious person or devout believer but I have to defend the christian faith on this occation.
I wil keep it simple.
Have Christians done horrible things (including murder and forced conversion)? Yes!
Have Muslims done horrible things (including murder and forced conversion)? Yes!
Has Jesus ever commited murder or did he force anybody to become his follower or commanded his followers to do these things? No!
Has muhammad ever commited murder or did he force anybody to become his follower or commanded his followers to do these things? YES!
Not only that, muhammad personally beheaded many Jews in Banu Qurayza.
If someone imitates Jesus perfectly, he becomes a saint, a holy person.
If someone imitates muhammed perfectly he becomes a terrorist, a criminal and a child rapist.
THIS is the difference.
The Catholic church, Protestants, Orthodox churches and many others have done evil things and they continue to do so.
They call themselves Christians, but they don’t follow Christ.
You don’t have to take my word for it. Compare the New Testament and the Quran.
November 23, 2012 at 7:22 PM
yes they have and they stole a pice of land from my family the size of wales,then they took my ancestors to Lancaster castle and burnt them,i forgive you you come from a county with a short history so read up on the witch hunts in europe,you wil find out just what a rotten greed ridden lot they are,and without a doubt they will do it again if they get the chance,region and politics dont mix and should never come together,that is what separates us from the superstitious barbarians spirituality and god are good things,but not when there twisted by megalomaniacs
November 23, 2012 at 7:24 PM
ps the New Testament and the Quran.are works of fiction,there s only one true bible The torah,or to us the lost book of thoth
November 23, 2012 at 8:44 PM
Look justice, I don’t want to turn this into a religious war about whose religion or bible is true or not.
Also I don’t asked you to believe that the New Testament is true.
Let’s put it this way. If I read the New Testament, will I find any commands of Jesus or his disciples to kill, enslave, rob, steal or forcibly convert people? No.
If one does believe, that the New Testament is true, he can never justify such things, one the basis of this book.
On the other hand, if I read the Quran, I will find plenty of passages like “kill the unbelievers werever yo find them”.
I will find commands to convert people to Islam by the sword.
I will find commands for Jihad.
If one does believe, that the Quran is true, he can justify all sorts of crimes on the basis of this book.
I don’t deny that the Catholic church is evil and it was responsible for the death of many Jews and also Christians and pagans.
I also am aware, that Martin Luther, the Reformator, was known for his hateful rants against the Jews.
Finally I am aware of the hate against Jews in some Orthodox churches and don’t deny it.
This is especially sad for me, since I am a Greek.
Yes, there are many Christians, who don’t like or hate Jews.
But there are also many Christians especially in the US who love Israel and the Jews.
All I wanted to make clear is, that there is a difference.between Christians and that tthese churches who teach Antisemitism or hate the Jews have no basis in the New Testament.
They have to do mental gymnastics or have to lie in order to justify these things.
Muslims on the other hand can always point to muhammad and the Quran for justification.
Any Christian who hates Jews is stupid, because after all Jesus was a Jew and he loved his Jewish brothers and sisters.
As for the tragic history of your family, I think I know how you feel, because my father’s ancestors came from Anatolia where they were lucky to escape the turkish genocide against the Armenians and the Greeks with their lives. Needless to say, they lost not only family members but also their entire wealth.
They had virtually to start from nothing.
So in the spirit of peace enjoy this song from one of my favorite greek singers.
November 23, 2012 at 10:07 PM
what i am saying is that Christianity and religion is meant to free your soul not enslave it..most are guilty of the enslavement of free thought,therefore it is not a good idea to mix politics with religion
November 23, 2012 at 10:25 PM
You said it beautyfully. “to free your soul”..
I agree that religious leaders and institutions should have no politcal powers.
But equally important is, to keep the politics out of religion.
Ok Justice.
Have a good day