Israel Deploys New Class of Laser Weapon to Intercept Drones
Israel’s Ynetnews: Laser-based air defense system “capable of intercepting short-range threats—including rockets, mortars, and drones—within a 10-kilometer radius.”
In a historic breakthrough, Israel unveiled a new class of weapon systems to bolster the country’s air defenses. Earlier this week, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) disclosed that it successfully intercepted dozens of Hezbollah drones fired from Lebanon using a laser-based defense system.
“Israel said it used a laser air-defense system to shoot down drones in wartime, deploying weapons that would mark a technological leap on the battlefield,” The Wall Street Journal reported. “Israel’s Defense Ministry said Wednesday that it has intercepted drones with laser-powered weapons more than 40 times since its multifront war began after Hamas attacked from Gaza in October 2023.”
Israel’s Defense Ministry released footage of the system in action against drones fired by Iran-backed Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah.
Israel has released footage confirming that its new Directed Energy Weapon “Iron Beam” is in active service and was used to shoot down drones launched by Hezbollah last year.
Every interception cost Israel no more than USD $5 each. pic.twitter.com/bo7jSXCGuZ
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) May 29, 2025
The air defense system deployed by the IDF on Israel’s northern border with Lebanon is “capable of intercepting short-range threats—including rockets, mortars, and drones—within a 10-kilometer radius,” the Israeli news website Ynetnews reported Friday.
The Times of Israel reported the details of the newly-tested system:
During the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon last year, the Israeli Air Force intercepted dozens of drones launched by the terror group using a new laser interception system, the military and Defense Ministry revealed on Wednesday.
The new system used during the fighting is a lower-powered version of the Iron Beam laser interceptor, which is set to be delivered to the Israel Defense Forces later this year. Both systems are developed by Israeli defense firm Rafael. (…)
Hezbollah fired more than 300 explosive-laden drones at Israel amid the fighting, with many evading air defenses and causing damage and casualties.
“Throughout the current war, the IAF, including its Aerial Defense Array soldiers, studied and deployed the laser systems in the field, achieving outstanding interception rates that saved civilian lives and protected national assets,” the IDF and Defense Ministry said.
While the IDF did not name the laser weapon, it is considered to be a variant of the ‘Iron Beam’ system being developed by the Israeli defense technology company Rafael.
Iron Beam, which belongs to the class of High Energy Laser Weapon System, or HELWS, can reportedly be used to intercept projectiles ranging from drones and cruise missiles to mortars and artillery.
Rafael, on its website, discloses that Iron Beam “engages and neutralizes a wide array of threats from a range of hundreds of meters to several kilometers.” The laser-based system “has an unlimited magazine, with almost zero cost per interception, and causes minimal collateral damage,” the company adds.
The ‘Iran Beam ‘- type system tested by the IDF is not a lone-standing weapon; Israeli defense companies are developing a series of laser-based defensive weaponry capable of intercepting even long-range ballistic and hypersonic missiles.
“Israel’s defense industries are already working to extend the range and power of laser-based systems,” Ynetnews added. “Elbit Systems is developing capabilities to launch them from aircraft or drones that will fly above the cloud layer, thus enabling cheap and quick neutralization of ballistic missiles and even hypersonic missiles that are capable of flying at a speed of at least five times the speed of sound.”
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Great news for Israel, bad new for the defense industry. No more multi million dollar missile deals.
Those contracts will be there as well as contracts for counter measures and improved missiles…which means continued development of the laser system…which equals continued development of counter measures and new missiles rah rah rah! It’s a never ending vicious cycle!!
nothing wrong with multi $$$$$ missile deals
its what helps keep america in power
Uh no. I dare say US and other countries have similar systems in development.
Do they also have sharks with lasers?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=INFavIUmhcE
I’m not disputing that it works. I just want some better special effects when it fires. Like the Enterprise using its phaser banks.
Four seconds locked on to a single target is forever time in missile defense when they are coming over the horizon in droves.
https://static-cdn.toi-media.com/www/uploads/2021/05/000_99X76P.jpg
not for drones though.
lefty to insist that iran plo and blm be given the same lasers for “fair fighting”
Or the tech gets stolen & sold to them
“Israel’s defense industries are already working to extend the range and power of laser-based systems,” Ynetnews added. “Elbit Systems is developing capabilities to launch them from aircraft or drones that will fly above the cloud layer, thus enabling cheap and quick neutralization of ballistic missiles and even hypersonic missiles that are capable of flying at a speed of at least five times the speed of sound.”
Because as fast as a hypersonic missile may be, it’s still not faster than a laser. The trick will be holding it on target long enough to do it’s job. There are some tricks that might help defeat a laser, at least for a bit. Mirror like coating, extra thick shell that’s made of materials that are good at dissipating heat but I doubt Hezbollah and it’s enablers have anything like that for their missiles just yet.
theres always something that will defeat whatever it is that is succeeding at the moment
thats how and why we keep developing better systems
Hypersonic missiles as directed-energy targets also present challenges in that they are already quite heat-resistant and disperse heat well because they HAVE to, just to fly at hypersonic velocities.
Paint the drones blue and they wont get lased.
Too late. Everybody knows by now that UN-blue stands for Hamas.
I was referring to the fires in Hawaii
Too bad they don’t have the technology to intercept threats launched from Columbia U.
“Iran-Beam” laser?
Quite the typo!
Depends on if it’s aimed at Iran I guess.
I would advise not looking directly at the beam
Do they REALLY want to tell the world, especially the Iranosavages, what they have? Loose lips sink ships.
.
they’re a democracy. Companies in democracies tend to tell everyone who will listen what they are developing. In part it is probably because they have to if they are public,
What is amazing is how the skunkworks was able to develop the U-2, SR71, F117 without anyone finding out for many many years, Lockheed I think ran it.