Trump's ‘Golden Dome' missile defense plan was inspired by Israel's multitiered defenses
The sophisticated system, developed over decades with considerable U.S. support, is capable of detecting incoming fire and deploying only if the projectile is headed toward a population center or sensitive military or civilian infrastructure. Israeli leaders say the system isn't 100% guaranteed, but credit it with preventing serious damage and countless casualties.
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Here's a closer look at Israel's multilayered air-defense system:
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The Arrow
This system developed with the U.S. is designed to intercept long-range missiles. The Arrow, which operates outside the atmosphere, has been used to intercept long-range missiles launched by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen and by Iran itself during two direct exchanges of fire last year.
David's Sling
Also developed with the U.S., David's Sling is meant to intercept medium-range missiles, such as those possessed by Lebanon's Hezbollah militant group. It was deployed on multiple occasions throughout the war with Hezbollah, which ended with a ceasefire last year.
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Iron Dome
This system, developed by Israel with U.S. backing, specializes in shooting down short-range rockets. It has intercepted thousands of rockets since it was activated early last decade — including volleys launched by Hamas and Hezbollah. Israel says it has a success rate of over 90%.
Iron Beam
Israel is developing a new system to intercept incoming threats with laser technology. Israel has said this system will be a game changer because it would be much cheaper to operate than existing systems. According to Israeli media reports, the cost of a single Iron Dome interception is about $50,000, while the other systems can run more than $2 million per missile. Iron Beam interceptions, by contrast, would cost a few dollars apiece, according to Israeli officials — but the system is not yet operational.
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Newsweek
5 hours ago
- Newsweek
The F-35, Mocked by Elon Musk, Finally Shows What It Can Do
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Back in November, fresh off the presidential election, Elon Musk took direct aim at the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Calling the $100 million-a-piece aircraft "obsolete" and a "jack of all trades, master of none," Musk argued that the future belonged to drones—not manned jets. "Manned fighter jets are outdated in the age of drones and only put pilots' lives at risk," he posted on X. But in June 2025, those same jets are proving Musk wrong. During Israel's ongoing offensive against Iran, F-35I Adir fighters—Israel's variant of the American-made stealth jet—have executed dozens of long-range strikes against fortified air defense systems, missile sites and nuclear facilities. Israeli officials say the aircraft flew deep into Iranian territory, encountered little resistance, and returned without a single recorded loss. The results were immediate and visible. According to the Israeli Air Force, their F-35s neutralized critical air defense assets and gave Israeli pilots air superiority over much of Iranian airspace—a feat that unmanned systems have yet to replicate. 'We Need Both' In interviews with Newsweek, defense experts said Musk's assertion doesn't hold up—Israel's strikes on Iran highlight exactly why manned stealth aircraft remain essential, even as drones reshape modern warfare. "Manned stealth aircraft are the most cost-effective way to achieve results against heavily defended adversaries," said retired Lt. Gen. David Deptula, who served as deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance at U.S. Air Force headquarters and is now dean of the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. Deptula described Israel's deep-penetration raids—some stretching nearly 1,000 miles—as a blueprint for modern air campaigns. "These operations saw Israel's F-35s evade and dismantle Iran's Russian-supplied air defenses, and then go on to strike other key targets. That is far from easy and could not have been accomplished by today's drones," he said. An Israeli air force F-35 fighter lands during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on October 24, 2021. An Israeli air force F-35 fighter lands during the "Blue Flag" multinational air defence exercise at the Ovda air force base, north of the Israeli city of Eilat, on October 24, 2021. Photo by JACK GUEZ / AFP) (Photo by JACK GUEZ/AFP via Getty Images Justin Bronk, a senior research fellow at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI), echoed that sentiment. "Those who suggest that uncrewed systems alone can replace what fighter aircraft do fundamentally do not understand what makes them such a flexible and potentially decisive military tool," Bronk told Newsweek. He added that unmanned systems, while useful for surveillance and saturation attacks, still lack the resilience and adaptability to execute complex, multi-layered strikes in contested airspace. "It's one thing to simulate uncrewed aircraft doing dogfighting in a clean, test environment," he said. "It's another to trust them in the electromagnetic chaos of modern combat, where jamming, deception, and dense airspace demand flexibility." The Human Factor Israel's strikes have included precision-guided bombs dropped on hardened targets such as the Natanz and Fordow nuclear enrichment sites. Defense analysts quickly noted the significance of using fifth-generation aircraft in such missions. "There's a significant difference between today's military operations and what might be possible in 10 or 15 years," said Guy Snodgrass, a former Navy fighter pilot and Pentagon strategist. "In today's world, manned stealth aircraft like Lockheed's F-35 are the premier tools. Their networked sensor suites, real-time battlefield awareness, and trained pilots make them unmatched for missions like these." Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. Smoke rises from the building of Iran's state-run television after an Israeli strike in Tehran, Iran, Monday, June 16, 2025. AP Photo That's exactly what Israel's F-35s brought to the Iranian theater. Modified with extended-range fuel systems and armed with precision-guided munitions, the aircraft reached targets nearly 1,000 miles away. Israeli officials say the missions were executed without aerial refueling and with minimal radar detection—an outcome impossible without stealth and pilot-led adaptability. "The proof is there for all to see," said Deptula, the retired general. "No drone exists today—or will in the foreseeable future—that can do what we are witnessing Israeli Air Force F-35s accomplish on a daily basis. Drones are tools that facilitate the conduct of air warfare—they don't change the fundamental elements of air warfare." The Drone Revolution Still, Deptula is quick to note the drone revolution is very real—just not all-encompassing. Deptula said that Israeli forces have used small lethal drones to support their strike packages, especially in suppressing Iranian air defenses. "It's a great example of taking an effects-based approach," he said. "You match the tool to the mission." One of the clearest examples of how modern warfare is evolving came just weeks before Israel's air campaign began. In Eastern Europe, Ukraine launched "Operation Spiderweb" its most ambitious operation of the war against Russia—a sweeping drone and missile strike deep into Russian territory, damaging military infrastructure hundreds of miles from the front lines. The attack demonstrated an effective way to strike without putting costly assets like fighter jets at risk. Snodgrass sees a future where artificial intelligence and uncrewed systems play a bigger role—but not yet. "Unmanned aircraft will one day rule the skies," he said. "But current systems like the F-35 represent the pinnacle of what is on offer today and in the near future." A still image from footage of Operation Spiderweb published by Ukraine's security services. A still image from footage of Operation Spiderweb published by Ukraine's security services. SBU Bronk agreed. "Massed one-way drones are useful for disruption and suppression," he said, "but they don't replace precision strike aircraft—especially not when facing modern missile systems and electronic defenses." In a statement to Newsweek, a spokesperson for the defense giant Lockheed Martin, which makes the F-35, called it "combat proven." "Its ability to combine battlefield intelligence and technology and share it instantaneously across every domain—land, sea, air, space, cyber—gives it an overwhelming edge in capability over the alternatives," the spokesperson said. Whether that edge lasts another decade may depend on how quickly AI evolves, experts agree. For now, though, they say the skies over Iran offer a clear rebuttal to the idea that manned jets are already "relics of the past," as Musk has claimed.
Axios
5 hours ago
- Axios
U.S. companies brace for Israel-Iran cyber spillover
As Israel and Iran exchange airstrikes, cybersecurity experts are warning that a quieter, but still destructive, digital conflict is unfolding behind the scenes. And U.S. companies could soon find themselves in the blast radius. Why it matters: Iran and Israel are home to some of the world's most skilled hackers. Escalating tensions between the two could spill over into cyberspace, potentially disrupting critical infrastructure, commercial networks and global supply chains. Driving the news: U.S. cybersecurity organizations are urging businesses to remain on high alert for possible Iranian cyberattacks on domestic infrastructure. The Food and Ag-ISAC and the IT-ISAC published a joint statement Friday urging companies to proactively bolster their defenses, noting a history of Iranian state-sponsored hackers and hacktivism targeting U.S. critical infrastructure during previous conflicts. Radware, a U.S.-based cybersecurity firm, estimated there's been a 700% increase in Iranian cyberattacks against Israeli targets since Israel launched its initial missile strike on Tehran on June 12. Threat level: The scale and nature of potential Iranian cyberattacks on American organizations will likely depend on how the U.S. responds to the broader military conflict. As of now, the Trump administration has told allies it will not intervene unless Iran directly targets Americans. But if that decision changes, Iran could redirect cyber resources toward state-sponsored ransomware campaigns or wiper malware attacks on U.S. infrastructure, Austin Warnick, director of national security intelligence at Flashpoint, told Axios. Zoom in: Gil Messing, chief of staff at Israel-based Check Point Software Technologies, told Axios that he's observed several disinformation campaigns appearing to originate from Iranian-linked actors in the days following the strikes. One such campaign involved a text message sent to thousands of Israelis warning that fuel supplies would be halted at gas stations for 24 hours. Another message falsely warned of a possible terrorist attack at a regional shelter, urging recipients to avoid the area — an apparent attempt to sow panic during missile attacks. Both messages were crafted to appear as if they came from Israel's Home Front Command, but they were fake, Messing said. He added that he's also seen lower-level cyber activity potentially linked to Iran, including DDoS attacks and phishing campaigns. What they're saying:"Their main objective is intimidation, fake news, [and] disinformation, much more than anything else," Messing told Axios. He added that much of the current Iranian cyber activity is "lower profile" — in part because Tehran appears to be focusing the bulk of its resources on physical warfare right now. The big picture: During traditional military conflicts, cyberattacks are often deployed to incite fear and confusion among civilians. More destructive operations — such as infrastructure attacks — tend to emerge only in the lead-up to major strikes or invasions, as seen before Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Messing said that's why Iran appears to be focusing on disinformation and smaller-scale attacks so far. The goal currently is to incite fear. Reality check: Israel also poses a formidable cyber threat in this conflict. However, its digital offensives are expected to remain focused on Iranian targets, Warnick said. A pro-Israel hacking group claimed responsibility for a cyberattack this morning on Iran's Bank Sepah, causing widespread outages. The group also claims it "destroyed" all of the bank's data. Israel has a long history of sophisticated cyber operations, most notably the Stuxnet attack that targeted Iran's nuclear program. Its intelligence units, particularly Unit 8200, are also known for advanced cyber espionage capabilities.
Business Wire
8 hours ago
- Business Wire
Lioncrest Ventures Debuts $100M Multi-Strategy Platform for its Equity and Credit Funds
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