Expansion of Israel's defense system: What is the Iron Beam and how does it work?

Report by Toni Mrad, English adaptation by Yasmine Jaroudi

Israel has announced plans to allocate $530 million toward expanding its laser-based air defense system, known as the "Iron Beam." 

The Defense Ministry revealed that it has signed a major deal to significantly increase the procurement of these systems, with the Director General of the ministry hoping that the Iron Beam will be operational within a year.

How does the Iron Beam work?

The Iron Beam is a laser-powered system designed to intercept missiles and drones at a lower cost than the Iron Dome, which relies on traditional rockets for interception. 

Reports indicate this investment aims to enhance Israel's ability to counter drones launched by Hezbollah and other resistance forces in Iraq.

This comes after what Israeli officials referred to as defense failures during the recent Al-Aqsa Flood war when Israeli defense systems struggled to neutralize drones on multiple occasions.

This new system is expected to complement Israel's other air defense technologies, including the Iron Dome. 

Will these defenses successfully mitigate the threat of missiles and drones targeting Israel from multiple fronts?